The Thief That Never Stole
by BlueAsh666
Summary: Winter is coming, and so are the wolves. An odd, mysterious girl born from the wilds struggles to try and join her own kind. After a not-so-great first meeting with Elsa, she stops an attempted assassination and ends up being dragged in the Ice Queen's life by an entranced and excited Anna. Elsa would be fine with it... if only the girl would ever take off her damned hood.
1. Chapter 1

It was the clatter of dishes in the kitchen that caught Elsa's attention.

The sound was barely audible, but the fact that it was the middle of the night was what made the woman seek out the source of the noise, even as drowsy as she was. She might have been dreaming... she wasn't entirely sure, to be honest.

Elsa furrowed a brow as she peeked in the doorway, only to have her brows shoot up into her hairline as she caught sight of what was going on. _This_ was a first...

A person stood in the middle of the kitchens with their back to the queen, a white and gray fur pelt over their shoulders with a furred hood over their head, a loaf of bread clasped in their hands. As Elsa took a breath, they tensed and she could hear their breath hitch as they breathed a curse. "Oh, shit..."

The person whirled around, perhaps to try and find an escape, only have their shoulders sag as they realized just _who_ was there in the doorway. The wolf's head covered most of their face, but their expression was still clear as day on their dirty and scraped face.

Air tense, the two gaped at each other. And then, the person just laughed. A dry, humorless laugh as they huffed. "Oh, _of course!_" The person - _a girl_, Elsa decided from the higher, but still rough voice - kicked the floor. "I manage to get in here, slip past all the guards and staff, actually grab a loaf of bread, only to get caught by the _queen of Arendelle_." Their lips curled with distaste, not for the queen, but for themselves. "Way to go, self..."

Elsa's lips twitched up as the person grumbled to herself irately, making several, and some _rude_ hands gestures to herself, only to have the smile fall as the attempted thief pulled out a skinning knife from her belt. A feeling of cold washed over the platinum-haired woman at the action, only to get colder as the thief dropped the knife onto the floor and kicked it over to her. She couldn't quite make her mouth work properly as the thief continued to talk.

"_Make it quick_, if you would," The thief sighed dryly, putting the loaf on the counter behind her before dropping to a knee and bowing her head. "Call the guards, _or_ kill me, I don't know. I'm not going to escape the Ice Queen, so I'm not even going to waste the effort."

It was strange... She didn't try to run, or attack. She just gave up...

_Curious_.

Elsa frowned, as she picked up the knife. It was old and used often, _that much she could tell_, but it was obviously well-taken care of. The metal shined bright, and the blade was about as sharp as it could get. Looking back to the thief, she finally managed to get out, "What-_how did you get in here...?_"

She looked up and said instantly, sarcastically, with a quirk of her lips, "_Very carefully_." She froze as she remembered just who she was talking to and dropped her head again with a grimace. "I-I mean..." She fumbled behind her back and pulled out a grappling hook of all things, rope and all, and shrugged a shoulder before putting it back where she got it from.

Naturally, the castle was by no means easy to break into. This thief was either stupidly lucky, or incredibly talented...

"So you manage to sneak into the castle and, of all things... _you steal a loaf of bread...?_"

The thief blushed from under the wolf head, opening her mouth to answer, only to freeze as her stomach roared voraciously. "Something is coming; a _storm_, maybe," She mumbled. "I haven't... been able to hunt anything, and berries aren't very filling... plus, fighting _bears_ over them doesn't seem... _ideal_." Her neck went red, visible even in the low light as her stomach groaned again.

The blonde blinked, studying the girl for a few more moments before walking over to her and grabbing the loaf of bread. As she neared, she saw the thief flinch, but took note that she didn't move away. Cutting a healthy-sized slice with the knife, she kneeled down to the pelt-covered girl and held out the piece patiently.

When the girl looked up from under the snout of her hood, she yelped at the hand reaching out and leapt back, only to trip over her feet and land flat on her rear. She moved to cover her face, only to falter as she noticed what the queen was holding out. Elsa could see that her eyes widened, even from under the shadow of her hood.

"_What_," She gasped, "Are you trying to poison me?! I said to make it _quick!_ Poison is the _exact opposite_ of quick, I don't give a _damn_ how potent you claim it is! I gave you a _knife_ for the gods' sake, just slit my throat! _Damn_..."

Her expression was exasperated_,_ rather than fearful, as Elsa had been expecting. The blonde bit back a smile. "I'm not going to kill you over a _loaf of bread_."

"I... _are you sure?_"

The thief had said it so meekly, Elsa couldn't help but laugh a bit. "_Yes_, I'm sure."

The girl tentatively grabbed the bread from her hands and cradled it to her chest, looking between the slice and the queen several times as she sniffed the slice. "And... you're actually giving me this...? As in, _for free?_ _Just like that?_"

Elsa tried to stifle a giggle at the thief's bewildered expression. "Yes." She paused as she heard the girl's stomach growl once again, and added gently, thoughtfully, "Though, a slice of bread isn't very filling, either. Perhaps I could find you something more filling than that..." Standing up, she moved to the fireplace in the kitchen, with a pot full of soup boiling away in the embers. "Perhaps you would like a bowl of this...?"

The thief stumbled over herself as she stuttered, "I-wait, what? I was just - _I was stealing!_"

"A loaf of bread, yes," The woman hummed lightly as she grabbed a bowl. "Though, I must wonder... _why here?_ There are plenty of places to get a loaf of bread..."

Still clutching the bread to her chest, the girl fidgeted. "I... the easiest homes to steal from are the ones who need what they have the most. The ones where everyone works long and hard... _they need what they have a lot more than I do_," She blushed again and made a nervous noise. "I figured... take something small, from someone who wouldn't even notice it's absence..."

"For a thief, you have a good sense of morals." The queen remarked curiously.

She coughed. "I'm not - I don't usually..." She trailed off and bit her lip. "I'm-I live out in the wilds. I'll occasionally come to Arendelle to trade furs or any extra meat..."

"You live there alone?"

"I-_yes_, I always have, but," The thief stopped mid-sentence and studied the ice queen with caution. "Why-why are you...? You're..." She frowned. "_Are you daft?_" As soon as the words left her lips, from the neck up, she went red as her hands lapped over her mouth. She stumbled over her words clumsily. "I-I-I mean... why are you talking to me like I'm a guest, instead of someone who was trying to _steal?_ Why are you so... calm?"

_It was a good question_. She wasn't entirely sure, herself... perhaps it was sympathy, from just how defeated the girl had seemed when she'd gotten caught...? Or, maybe this really _was_ just a dream... she was sure that she wouldn't normally be this calm or friendly in a situation like this...

_Yes_, she quickly decided, _this was merely a dream_... Why _else_ would she have been wandering the halls at this hour...?

"It's late, I'm tired and stressed," Elsa poured the creamy soup into the bowl and set it onto the table. "And you have yet to make any threatening moves towards me. You _are_ one of my subjects... it is my duty to ensure your good health, is it not?"

"Erm... _no_, not really..." The girl looked between the queen, the soup on the counter, and the bread she still clutched in her hands like it was a priceless treasure. "But if you wish it to be, _who am I to complain?_" Still wary, but less so, the pelt-covered girl tentatively walked over, flinching as the woman, the _queen, _put a spoon in front of her, like the whole situation was a normal thing...

The corner of Elsa's lips twitched up as the girl, _whose name she still didn't know_, used a shaky hand to pick up the silver spoon. "What is your name?"

She faltered and lifted her head a bit, peering at her from the dark shadows of her hood as she answered, underlyin caution in her tone. "Ylva."

The blonde raised a brow. "_She-wolf...?_" She translated questioningly.

The girl, Ylva, blushed. "It... it was the only name I could think of that suited me well enough."

"You named yourself...?"

"My parents," She explained quietly, blush fading as she dipped the spoon into the bowl and began to idly pour the soup back into the bowl with it, clearing her throat. "I don't... I don't remember them. Or my real name. Or... anything, really."

Elsa's brows drew together in concern. "_What?_ What do you mean by that?"

"I woke up in the forest when I was young, alone and cold," She mumbled, voice going so quiet that the queen had to _strain_ her ears to hear her words. "I couldn't remember anything. I could talk, I knew about life in general, but when I tried to recall who I was or why I was in the wilds..." she trailed off and shook her head vigorously, forcing a small smile on her face. "I knew how to hunt and start a fire, and all the other basics... I figured that was just my home, and stayed. As I got older, I came upon Arendelle, and started trading, when I wasn't drifting. That's about it."

"That's awful..." The blonde frowned.

She shrugged, staring into the soup like it was the most interesting thing in the world. "It wasn't so bad... Not long after I'd awoken in the wilds, a young wolf-dog found me. She took care of me..."

"So is that why you named yourself Ylva?"

Said girl nodded. "Yep. _You got it_." Finally putting a spoon to her lips and tasting it, her eyes lit up from under the snout, and Elsa had a thought as she studied the pelt upon her shoulders.

"So... _is that...?_" She gestured to the pelt upon her shoulders. There really was no way to ask the question, without sounding... _unqueenly_.

For a few seconds, the attempted thief looked at her blankly until it finally clicked, and the girl threw her head back and laughed. "_What?!_ You think this is-" She cracked up again and sniggered into her arm. "_No_, ma'am... this isn't - this is a wolf that attacked me. I had no choice but to kill it, and saw no reason to waste the fur, is all," Her smile faded just a bit. "No, my wolf simply told me to '_stay_' and left when her time came. She didn't want me to see, I suppose... _perhaps it was best that I hadn't_."

Elsa frowned. She had just said that her wolf spoke to her...? She had never heard of such a thing, but gave a sympathetic look, regardless. "I'm sorry."

"Such is life, your majesty," She turned her attention away from the queen and began inhaling the soup. It was gone in record time, but still she didn't eat the bread, Elsa noticed. She also noticed that Ylva suddenly looked a bit ill as she leaned her forearms on the counter. "_Ooh_, that was a little too rich for me..."

"Are you alright...?"

"I'm great," She breathed, looking a little green as she gave a shaky breath. "I've never... never eaten anything like that... _worth it_, though..." She shook her head vigorously. "I should probably get going before this really hits me. Thank you, queen... um..." She trailed off awkwardly as she realized that she didn't know the queen's name.

"_Elsa_. My name is Elsa" Her eyes flicked to the doorway. "Would you like to have an escort, so any guards that may see you won't think you're an intruder?"

The thief snorted and flashed a smile. "Technically, I _am_ an intruder..." Brushing off the pelt on her shoulders before grabbing the knife on the table and putting it back in the sheath tied to her belt, she gave a small, joking bow. "But not to worry, queen Elsa... _the only one who will know I was here is you_." She opened her mouth to say something else, only to look behind Elsa with a puzzled expression.

She turned to see what she was looking at, only to see nothing and look back at the girl. Only... _she wasn't there_. And it occurred to Elsa that her action had merely been a ruse...

The bowl was in the sink, spoon inside the bowl, and any crumbs that had been on the counter were gone... Only a feather laid on the table.

With a quirk of her brow, she gingerly picked up the feather and spun it between her fingers. It was half the length of her finger, soft to the touch and fluffy, white with dark brown on the very edge. It almost looked as though it had been dipped in chocolate...

The woman simply sighed and put her fingers on her temple. She really needed to sleep... _the stress and exhaustion was making her imagine things_.

A girl from the wilds who wore the skin of a wolf, a thief that hadn't stolen anything...

_She was hanging around Anna too much_. Her younger sister's wild imagination was imposing itself on her. But still... as she walked back to her room, she held onto the feather.

* * *

**Author's note (feel free to ignore)~**

**FUCK FUCKITY FUCK FUCK. _Fuck_. _Why_ am I starting another story? AM I INSANE?!  
**

**YES. But I saw Frozen, and that amazing movie has CONSUMED my thoughts. It's ridonkulous, guys, you don't even know. _I_ don't even know, I just have so many feelings about that movie, and I think I may have an awkward lady crush on Elsa because FUCK she's so fucking fabulous even though her whole fucking childhood and LIFE was so FUCKING bad, and she was just so fucking SELFLESS growing up as a kid and just as a person in _general_. She struggled so much with something that should have been considered a gift and it _kills_ me inside. My first lady crush is a character from a DISNEY MOVIE. fucking GLIB GLOB IT.**

**I don't know where I'm going with this. I might not be going _anywhere_ with this. It could be about the magic of friendship. It could be my first (and very awkward) girlxgirl thing. It could be a crack fic. I just dunno. Again, it could be going NO WHERE.**

**I'm so sorry about this crappy excuse for a freaking story. It's gonna be awful, I can FEEL IT. And I was kinda juggling between this or an Elsanna fic (SO MANY ISSUES IN ONE LITTLE PERSON). FORGIVE ME 'COURAGE' HOMIES. Nothing's changed, sequel's still coming, i still love you!**

**Fuck. I'm so sorry, bear with me please ʕ´ᴥ`ʔ  
**

**, _Blue_**


	2. Chapter 2

"_Die, Ice Queen!_"

Before anyone knew what was going on, before anyone could even think to react, a man with a crazed look in his eye and ragged clothes leapt towards the strolling queen with a sword in hand. Before he got within striking distance, however, a blade spun through the air and embedded itself in the man's leg.

Elsa jumped as he cried out, and instantly moved in front of Anna protectively while throwing an arm out to keep her back. Her mind went into overdrive as her thought process finally caught up to her. The tips of her fingers went cold and her eyes went dark as she moved to freeze his feet to the very ground he walked on...

_But she didn't even get the chance_. As he staggered, a large wolf of white and cool gray leapt from the crowds and slammed into him with a vicious snarl. Cries and grunts of pain left his lips as the wolf ripped into him.

It wasn't until the beast started talking did everyone realize it was merely a person wearing a wolf's skin, using the beast's head as a hood.

"The only one at risk of death today is you!" A growl ripped from the person. A loud _crack!_ and as a pain-filled scream left the man, both Anna and Elsa winced.

Another garbled cry left the man as his shoulders got slammed against the cobblestone path and the knife was twisted from his leg before the person, posture and movements more animal than human, backed off with an animalistic growl deep in their throat. After wiping the blood from the knife with his shirt, guards overtook the groaning man, and the person looked up from under the snout of their hood.

A sheepish look crossed her face as she turned to face the queen, eyes barely glinting from under her familiar hood as she took a hesitant step towards Elsa. "Are you all right...?"

Anna squeaked and grabbed her sister's hand as Elsa stared with wide eyes. "_You weren't a dream_..."

"Oh, so you _don't_ usually do things like that, then," The corners of her lips twitched up. "Good. I would have been seriously concerned if that was a habit."

It took Anna a moment to realize this person wasn't a threat, and once she did... "_You saved my sister!_" She tackled the other in a hug.

Ylva grunted at the sudden weight and staggered to keep from falling, expression comically bewildered and surprised, making Elsa giggle into her hand as she stuttered and stumbled over her words and feet. "Not-not really. She could have handled it, I just-just went on instinct and-! She was more than capable of - _oof!_" Her breath audibly hitched as the smaller girl squeezed her middle.

The pelt-covered girl looked to Elsa for help before turning back to try and slip out of Anna's grip, only to freeze. Her head shot up to look at Elsa again. Even with the upper half of her face blanketed in shadow, Elsa could see the surprise.

"Wow... you're really pretty." Ylva quickly realized that she was implying she had thought she wasn't, and flushed. "I-I mean, _you were before_, but your hair was all," She made an exploding gesture, only to turn darker as she stuttered, and Anna pulled away to watch her amusedly. "_Not that it made you look any less pretty_, but... yeah. It was dark... I couldn't really see you." She coughed and nodded absentmindedly. "_I should stop_..."

Anna cocked her head to the side, looking between Elsa and Ylva. "Wait, so... you two know each other? Are you friends...?" Before either could answer, the strawberry blonde brightened and beamed at the hooded girl. "_You should have dinner with us!_"

Her face dropped and her posture slumped. "Wait... _what_...?"

"Elsa doesn't have many friends," Anna started brightly, bounding around Ylva and hooking her arms through the slightly taller before all but dragging her to Elsa.

"Wait, hold on a sec'-"

"And you seem like a really interesting person! I love your wolf-! Pelt... cloak... _thing_. It's so... unique!"

"Thank you, but-" The pelt-covered girl spluttered. "I never even agreed to do this! You don't even know me!"

"But _Elsa_ does," The shortest of the three reminded her, hooking her other arm with Elsa's and skipping back towards the castle, "And that's why I wanna know you! Elsa doesn't have many friends..." She faltered mid-skip. "Actually... I don't think she had _any_ friends..." She brightened again before going back to skipping. "_But she does now!_"

"What if I'm actually a murderer...?" The hooded girl asked dryly. "What if the reason she knows me is that I killed her boyfriend...? _Or her dog_."

Both of the sisters snorted and smiled, though Anna's was considerably brighter. "Elsa's never had a boyfriend, _silly! Or_ a dog!"

Her voice got a hint of sheepishness as she drawled slowly, venturing, "What if I'm a thief? What if the only reason she knows me is because she caught me in the act, and, say... _I don't know_," Her eyes rolling to the sky to avoid Elsa's pointed look. "Ended up giving me a bowl of soup...?"

The queen bit back a smile. _Subtle_... Elsa knew what she was doing... She was trying to gently introduce Anna to the idea of how they knew each other in the first place, as a more of a joke, than anything.

Anna snorted and grinned. "Then, obviously, there was a reason she did." She tried to pull the girls at her side into a skip and giggled as Ylva gave a loud groan of complaint. "_And besides_... If you really are a thief, you'd be the nicest one I've ever met."

Finally, with a defeated huff and a slump of her shoulders, Ylva sighed. "Well, I tried. And Elsa, if you've really never had one, you need to get one..."

Elsa leaned past Anna to look at the girl and raise a brow. "A boyfriend...?"

"_No_," Ylva made a face. "Get a dog... I need someone to talk to, and dogs have _way_ more interesting stories to tell than people... You know, I met one that was searching for his owner; he was such a sweetheart."

Anna giggled. "You say that like he _actually_ talked to you."

The girl opened her mouth like she was going to say something, only to change her mind and shrug a shoulder. "Yeah, well... We're going in the castle?" At the sisters nods, she visibly perked up and tried to bite back a grin. "_Well_, then... _this_ is going to be fun..."

* * *

_And fun, it was_. Elsa watched, an amused smile on her face as Ylva animatedly told the story behind her cloak. Mere moments ago, she had leapt from her chair and onto the seemingly endless table (Ylva's words, not hers), pacing the length as she made several hand motions with her words.

The thief, as Elsa continued to refer to her as in her head, still blushed often, and at first, had been horridly hesitant... But it hadn't taken long for Anna's bright chattering to loosen her up.

Being in the castle as a guest, as opposed to being a thief, did wonders for the odd girl's nerves. She was much more at ease and almost charming, in a blunt, rude way (though, perhaps living on her own in the wilds was the cause of the former). She seemed to have an endless array of stories, ranging from fights with bandits to trekking up the mountains to watch '_spirits dance among the Auroras_' and even an amusing tale about getting a black eye from a fish.

She both pitied and envied her. The rough girl had only ever had freedom, but had never had a family. Never had an _Anna_. And if her claims of being able to speak with canines were anything to go by, the loneliness had taken its toll on her, long ago...

But regardless, despite her rough and somewhat manic exterior, Ylva was a master with words. Elsa could _just_ see the great white wolf circling the girl, jaws snapping and red eyes glowing as he licked his chops, snow whipping about as the two did their deadly dance around the table.

"And then, as he snarled and jumped at me, he clawed at my right eye!" She ran a finger against the still-hooded eye and grinned as Anna gasped. "_But I got him back_. I thrusted my knife into his side, and as blood poured down my arm and face, he rasped with his dying breath, '_I curse you, to be seen as a monster among men. No longer may you walk among your kind without being cast out!_'"

Anna was on the edge of her seat, eyes as wide as the mostly-empty dinner plate in front of her. "_And then what?_"

Ylva smirked. "_I found a loophole_."

"But-but what did he do to you?!" She inhaled sharply as a thought struck her. "_Did he turn you into a werewolf?!_"

She laughed as she stepped over her own empty plate, and leaned down closer to the strawberry blonde's level. "Nothing quite that bad, I can assure you."

"Then _what?!_" Anna demanded with a desperation.

Elsa could imagine a wink under the hood. "_It's a secret_." She straightened up and hopped off the table, dropping to the ground with a barely-audible thud. "Anyways, continuing with the story... bloody, but not broken, I dragged the great wolf's sorry hide back to my current hole to skin while I waited out the storm. He's made the _best_ cloak I've had, yet. And the rest of the tale is still in progress, so... _ask me to continue in a month or two_."

"_That's it?!_" The excitable girl groaned loudly and plopped back into her seat. "How can you leave it at that?!"

"Very carefully," She chuckled and ruffled the girl's hair, laughing as she grumbled under her breath sourly.

Ylva's attention drew back to the silent, but smiling queen, and she cocked her head to the side. "You've been awfully quiet during the tale; do you have any questions that don't involve what the curse involved?"

Elsa hummed and leaned forward a bit in her seat. "Just one. It has not to do with the story, though, I'm afraid..."

"Well, I don't see a problem with that," The hooded girl stole a bit of roll from Anna's plate and sniggered as the smaller playfully punched her shoulder. "_Shoot_."

"Do you ever put your hood down?" The queen quirked a brow. "I don't believe I've ever seen you without it... What are you hiding?"

"Quite a bit, actually," Ylva smiled almost condescendingly, and Elsa felt a spark of mild irritation as she did. "And no, ma'am, I'm not taking it off unless you give me something to cover my eye. I have a horrid scar..." She cocked her head to the side. "And since we're asking questions, why do they call you the Ice Queen? I mean, I'm pretty sure that it was something to do with that strange winter storm a few months back, right...? But I never gathered what it was that made people start calling you that"

Anna's head snapped to look concernedly at her sister as Elsa eyed the thief. "You... truly do not know...?"

She flushed and moved to run her hand through her hair, instead just mussing the fur and ears without realizing. "Erm... _no_, I don't. I'd been on the East Mountain at the time, hunting bears. I could see that there was one hell of a storm, but I was hauling four bear pelts and a small deer at the time. By the time I'd returned, all was well, and the people were calling you the Ice Queen of Arendelle..."

The air went still, and the girl stumbled to correct herself or change the subject as her neck went red. "_You know what?_ I do-don't care to know; _just 'Elsa' is grand_. You're as kind as anyone I've yet had the pleasure of knowing, and remain to be so, despite our... _odd_ meeting." She awkwardly gave a short bow. "_Thank you_. Perhaps I should go... Gunnar will be expecting me some day, since he's holding most of my supplies, and I have arrows to make, and then I have to help him with our little project..."

Anna jumped up. "_Wait!_" The hooded girl did as she asked without a moment's hesitation, surprising and sending the girl into an almost meek silence. "I... _sleep-over...?_ I-I'm sure I can find you an eye patch if you really want, I just _really_ like having another person around, and-"

"_Pardon_," Ylva gave a puzzled look. "But... _sleep-over_...? I'm not quite sure what that is, exactly..."

The strawberry blonde's face went through a wide variety of emotions, ranging from shocked to outraged to shocked again, before finally settling into a determined look with a sly smile."_You'll see_..."

"_Do I not have a choice in this?_" She asked, half exasperated, half playful.

Anna laughed. "Nope."

"Elsa," The pelt-covered girl shot her a pleading look. "What's going on...? I'm scared for my life..."

A smile tugged at her lips, and she lifted a hand to stifle a giggle at her helpless expression. When it came to Anna and her sleep-overs... _she should be_.

* * *

**Author's note~**

**I NEED TO STOP WRITING THIS AND WORK ON MY OTHER STUFF. _Really_, I do, but... _ngh_. This won't leave me alone...**

**So, a couple people asked me to continue this, despite its overall cruddiness, so... I'm gonna. Yeah. _I tried my best :c_ Still don't know where I'm going with this. Still sorry about its existence. But Imma still try to make it as decent as I possibly can, _which isn't much_, but it could be worse. This section is just full of so many _amazing_ freaking stories, and then mine is just... _meh_.  
**

_**Try to bear with me, please **_******ʕ´ᴥ`ʔ**

******, _Blue_**


	3. Chapter 3

Elsa tried not to laugh as Ylva, hood still on but with it high enough to see her extremely expressive eye, trudged into the library with an exhausted look. A smile on her face, she asked, "Enjoying yourself...?"

"Oh, yeah, it's great," She breathed, unconsciously checking to ensure the makeshift eye patch (which was really just a small towel cut and sloppily stitched to cover the right side of her face) before plopping onto the ground in front of the crackling fireplace. "I've just never been around this much... _social_... ness. Anna is so excitable, and I just... I needed a bit of a break with someone who won't try to force me into a dress..."

"There _is_ room on the couch, you know." The blonde reminded her lightly, hand raising to cover her silent laugh as the girl sprawled out on the floor.

With a yawn, she nodded and stretched, looking at the queen from the corner of her eye. "If you don't mind me asking... _why do you cover your mouth like that?_ When you laugh, I mean..." She hummed thoughtfully and turned her gaze to the high ceilings. "When you smile, sometimes, too..."

She couldn't find an answer, but Ylva seemed to understand and shut her eyes. "I don't know why you do, you're only freaking _gorgeous_," Elsa felt her cheeks warm up as she continued, lifting a hand in the air to accentuate her words, and she found herself glad that the strange girl's eyes were closed. "You did it on that one night, the one you thought you were dreaming...? At first I thought it was a royal thing, but Anna doesn't do it..." She trailed off as a thought hit her, and pursed her lips in contemplation. "Though... _perhaps she's not the best example to refer to_. She's a few nuts short of a squirrel..." A snigger left her lips. "_But I'm hardly one to talk_... I'm no better, if not worse."

A smile crossed her face as she turned her attention back to the book in her lap, because hey, the odd girl talked enough for the both of them, and Elsa had all but mastered the art of multitasking with her queenly duties and listening to Anna. The odd girl was quieter, shyer, and calmer, but it was the same concept.

It wasn't long until the girl's mumbles trailed off and drifted into silence, and when she looked back up, Ylva was using one arm folded behind her head as a pillow with the wolf's snout over her face as she snored quietly.

Elsa gave an amused smile at the sight before going back to her book, mind drifting between the girl snoozing on the floor and the contents of the pages.

The thief was an odd girl, that much was for sure. She didn't know how to really talk to people and she knew it, if the common flushing of her face was anything to go by, but she tried. Anna loved her, and Elsa herself didn't mind her, either, but... something was off about the girl. She was hiding something, and what was more, _she had admitted it_. She had admitted that she was hiding something...

In a way, it comforted her, knowing that she was at least willing to admit it, but she also didn't know what exactly it was that she was hiding. _What if she hadn't been kidding when she'd joked about being a murderer, earlier...?_

A soft mix between a sigh and a whine left the snoozing girl's lips, and Elsa bit her lip. No... no. A thief, maybe, when driven to it, but not a cold-blooded killer. The girl did backflips to make Anna laugh; she was too meek, too easy-going, too eager to end tense moments.

And as Anna peeked in the doorway, a goofy grin on her freckled face, she promptly decided to just drop it. For the moment, anyway...

The redhead beamed at her sister before sneaking over to the sleeping girl on the floor. She moved to wake her up, only to stop herself and give a mischievous look, jerking her head for Elsa to come over.

As she set her book down and walked over, Anna flashed another smile before moving her hand towards the hood. Her fingers curled over the wolf's snout, and...

_A howl broke the silence_. It was a distant, very faint howl, but Ylva's visible eye popped open, pupils a mere pinprick in the white of her eye. Shooting up with a cry, her eyes darted across the room as her chest heaved for breath. "_Oh no_," She gasped, ignoring Anna and Elsa's attempts to calm her. "No, no, no, _no_."

"What is it, what's wrong?!" The blonde demanded to know concernedly, grabbing the panicking girl's pelt-covered shoulder.

Her hands visibly trembled as she reached up to grab the hand on her shoulder, either not noticing or not caring about the cold temperature as she squeezed it in an attempt to seek comfort and engulfing the pale hand in heat. "I can't - _I have to go_." Her breath hitched as she squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. "I'm so, so sorry, Anna, we'll have to do this sleep-over thing later; _I need to do something_." Dropping Elsa's pale hand, she hurriedly rushed to her feet.

Anna cried out in protest, brows drawing together. "Why do you - _where are you going?!_"

"Gunnar Berht," She answered shortly, briefly checking herself for something before nodding with satisfaction. "The blacksmith. He's the first person I've met in this town, and we're doing something." Finally looking up, she gave Anna an apologetic look. "_I'm sorry_. We _will_ do this again if you want, I promise, but..." Trailing off, the hooded girl shook her head vigorously. "It's probably not... _not_. What I think it is. But I have to - _I have to_."

The strawberry blonde groaned in complaint and her shoulders slumped, but she nodded. "Fine... What time is next time, exactly...?"

Ylva paused in between her near-panicking and deep breaths to crack a smile at the eager redhead. "I... I may be a while," She breathed a laugh and ruffled the smaller's hair. "But I think could manage to come as soon as I'm finished with my business with Gunnar if you wish, and if you won't mind that I'll be a bit tired."

"_Yeah_," Anna playfully pushed her arm, "That's fine..." She perked up. "_Maybe you could meet my friend!_ He's coming down soon, and he lives in the wilds, too! Only... he lives with other, um... _people_. Sorta..."

"Sure," Pulling the hood further over her face before pulling off the makeshift eye patch, she flashed another small, somewhat forced smile and pulled the girl into a quick hug. As the smaller melted right into it, the hide-covered girl remembered Elsa and grabbed her, pulling her into it, too.

There wasn't really all that much she could say about the hug. It only lasted about two seconds, but _by God_, was it warm... and then it was over. It was like Ylva had just disappeared. Anna and Elsa shared a look.

"That's the _third time_ she's disappeared on me like that. Does she do that a lot...?"

The blonde giggled into her hand at her sister's befuddled look. "I think so, yes."

Anna's shoulders slumped. "Oh... okay... _Dang it_," She pursed her lips in a pout. "_We were just about to see her face_." Elsa smiled fondly as the younger slumped against her. The redhead was quiet a moment, before looking back up at her and grinned. "Hey, Elsa... _do you wanna build a snowman?_"

A bright smile lit up her face as she lightly kissed the top of her head. "Only _always_."

* * *

It wasn't until five days later, during dinner, that Ylva showed up.

Kristoff had come as he had promised, and had been the first to notice the pelt-covered girl with a jump and a threatening shout.

Ylva had simply given a wry smile from under the shadow of her hood as everyone turned to look. Anna whooped when she saw who it was, only to yelp as the girl took a step to join the table and ended up dropping to her knees.

Chairs screeched across the floor as Anna and Elsa raced to help her, and the girl rasped with a dry throat. "_I'm okay_, guys, relax..." Leaning against Elsa, she breathed, "I'm just tired, is all..."

Moving to study her critically, Elsa's brows shot up. "And armed to the _teeth!_ What did you do while you were gone?!"

Ylva cracked another smile and idly fiddled with the straps on her thick leather, fur-trimmed bracers and glanced down at herself. Her new boots were designed to both insulate and have a good grip for when she needed to keep her balance on ice or water-slicked rocks, were under hide and fur greaves, strapped to her legs with studded, leather strips. And then, between the light mail vest and the sword strapped to her belt, Elsa couldn't help but give an exasperated, stern look.

"Are you going to _war?!_" She hissed, gesturing to the sword sharply before flinching as the ends of her fingers went ice-cold.

"It's just a precaution," Ylva defended weakly, shoulders raising as she gave a meek look. "I'm going back out in the wilds _eventually_... I don't want to get attacked again; _look at how the last time turned out!_" She held her arms out, only to falter as a thought hit her, and she flushed as she unconsciously drew her hood down lower. "Err... it didn't turn out good, anyways... _don't be mad...?_"

"_I'm not mad_." Elsa stopped and took a deep breath as the cold inched up her arms, and she had to remind herself to calm down. Ylva didn't know about her powers, yet, and _honestly_, she wasn't sure she wanted her to know. The citizens of Arendelle loved and respected both her and her powers, but they were still a little cautious around her. Ylva was already a bit skittish, and she didn't want the hooded girl to be even more so...

"I'm not angry," She repeated, much softer this time, and gently pushed her to a chair at the table. "Just... when you show up, worn to the bone and armed like you're going to war, it makes me..." She trailed off.

"Worried?" Anna suggested.

"Nervous?" Kristoff offered dryly, still eying Ylva with caution. "_On edge?_ Maybe a little freaked out because there's a person wearing a _wolf_ with a sword, sitting at the dining table...?"

Ylva lit up. "_Speaking of swords_," She pulled her sword out, grimacing in pain at the sudden movement before shaking it off, and setting it down on the table. "Look at this beauty..."

The queen sat up as she studied the weapon. It lit up with the movement, and she took notice of the inscription on the blade. The letters '+ULFBERH+T' darkened the metal and there was what looked like wolf teeth on the pommel, but other than that, it seemed like an ordinary sword...

"This lovely is a little project I worked on with Gunnar." The pelt-covered girl puffed up her chest a bit with pride. "I picked up a technique from a trader friend I met once on his route... _This_, friends, is more than a simple sword. This... is a masterpiece."

Kristoff snorted and quirked a brow. "You don't say...?"

"I do more than _say_," She shot back lightly, "I _know_. We spent five straight hours of melting the metal with coal and bear bones, burning the impurities out. And then eight hours of pounding it into shape..." She trailed off, suddenly looking weary as she recalled all the work that had gone into it. "Then another hour or two while he inlayed the name... and welded the letters and made the fuller... and then we had to put it through the quench... And... we took turns polishing it for days and..." Her face fell and she sank into the chair, head dropping back as a distressed groan left her lips.

Elsa, who had just gotten back into her seat, nearly leapt to her feet again. "What is it, are you hurt?"

"_I spent a week making a sword_," She whined to the ceiling, lips twitching up at Anna's snort of laughter. "What if - what if it's a piece of crap? This was something a _half-tipsy_ trader told me about, _four years ago!_" Her hands drew up to tangle her fingers in the fur of her hood. "I didn't think about it _as we were doing it_, and I still think it's a gorgeous sword and that we named it fantastically and all, but what if it shatters on the first stike? There weren't any sparks as we were hammering it, you know! _I've never seen that happen!_ What if that means it's bad?"

Another groan left her as she slumped and banged her head on the table. "_Damn it all_..."

Kristoff's brow quirked as he eyed the hooded girl. "I... _Wolf Girl...?_"

Ylva's head shot up, and she eyed the blonde man curiously. "How did you...?" Her eyes lit up as she studied him, and a grin crossed her face. "_Stinky!_" The two stood from their chairs and laughed, with her all but leaping into his arms. "When did you get so tall and manly?!"

"When did _you_ start looking like such a thug_?_" He fired back with a short laugh, picking her up from the ground and spinning her a few times. As he put her down, he leaned down to try and look up into her face. "What's up with the hood thing, too?"

He started to pull it up, only to yelp as she slapped his hand away and gave a disapproving look. "Cool your tits, Toff-Toff, and get off-off."

The blonde man stared at her blankly for a moment, before breaking out into laughter, followed by both the sisters. "That's _never_ gonna be a thing, so you might as well stop calling me that every time you see me!"

"Actually, I think it could be," Anna laughed before adding not-so-subtly with a hint of jealousy, "And _how_ do you two know each other, exactly...?"

The two grinned at the redhead, Kristoff with an arm thrown over her shoulder, Ylva with an arm around his middle. "We crashed into each other in the wilds." The girl said simply.

"Like, we _literally_ crashed into each other," He added with a wry smirk. "She was sledding, and I'd been on my way back from ice cutting. She was knocked right out, and I took her to my family."

Elsa giggled into her hand as the thief gave a mix between a laugh and a groan. "Oh, _gods_... that was _traumatizing_. Do they," She gestured to the two royal sisters. "Do they know? About, you know, Pabbie and all of them...?"

"_Yeah_," He snorted and rolled his eyes as she gave an amused grin and leaned against him. "They know."

"Did they-did you take them just before the sun went down, like you did with me?" She snickered as he made a face and nodded. The hooded girl gave a wry smile as she turned to the two sisters. "And-and he was walking through, talking to all the _boulders...?_ You thought he was crazy, didn't you?" She snorted a laugh. "_I know I did_."

Anna giggled with her, opening her mouth to reply, only to squeak as Kristoff slapped a hand over her mouth. He gave the redhead a look. "Don't encourage her or she'll never stop."

Ylva smirked and leaned on the table. "_Speaking of stopping_, has Kristoff ever told you about the time he got stuck in a mud hole, only it ended up being a-"

"_Wolf Girl_." He hissed sharply, ears turning red. "_Stop it_. Before I start telling them some of _your_ embarrassing stories! Talk about the time you fought your first bear or something!"

Anna's face lit right up, and she smacked his hand from her mouth. "You fought a bear?!"

For a split second, Elsa was certain that the pelt-covered girl looked... _remorseful_. Scared, even...

But it was only for a fraction a second. Her face twisted into that easy-going, light smile before anyone could blink, and she moved to jump back up on the table, only to grimace in pain. Shaking her head to herself, she took a heavy breath before trying again.

Finally up on the table, she stretched. "Alright, then. This one story here, _this_ is going to be a treat..." She paused and waltzed over towards the queen, who was watching with a small, amused smile, and leaned down a bit to whisper. "You're more than welcome to jump in and question as Anna does at any time, _your highness_. I don't want you to feel left out." With a wink, she straightened up and began unfurling her tale.

"It was an odd winter, that year," She began, "And a hot flash had bears waking from their hibernation, grumpier than I've ever seen..."

As Ylva swooped down and stole a roll from Kristoff, Elsa quickly decided that the night would be... interesting, at the very least.

_And downright chaotic at the worst_...

* * *

**Author's note~**

**This is becoming an issue. I _need_ to update my other stories, but _I can't __stop writing this_. Oh well...  
**

**Anyways, here it is. The next bit... I still feel kinda squirmy and nervous when I post more for this, _but I'll get over it_. Hopefully. I can't help it! There's so many wonderful writers for the Frozen fandom, and I feel like a little flea on the tail of a lion! I just... _ignore me_. Frickin' anxieties, comin' out of no where. It's cray-cray.**

**So, _I tried_. Elsa's such a freaking complex character and we saw _so little_ screen time for her, and I'm _tr__yin'_, even if it's not all that great. I'm sorry it's not up to snuff D: I'll get it down, maybe, hopefully! I'll try to throw in some Elsa and Ylva (bwoah shit, I just now noticed that their names are so frickin' similar, _damnit_) bonding._ I dunno_, I'll figure it out!**

**Please bear with me ʕ´ᴥ`ʔ**

**, _Blue_**

**_*HOLY SHIT. I updated the wrong chapter after editing this - guess who really needs a nap? THIS GIRL. So sorry about that guys!_**


	4. Chapter 4

It was late in the night and all through the castle, not a soul was stirring... _except for Elsa_, it seemed.

Shudders ran through her shoulders as she slumped in the bed, trying to suppress sniffles as she reminded herself over and over that it was just a nightmare.

But still, the panicked thoughts raced through her mind, her heart raced, and her hands trembled as she hugged herself. Frost crawled through the walls as she tried to calm down, _but it didn't work_, and finally, as a last-ditch effort, she began chanting her old mantra to try to keep from freezing her entire room.

_Conceal. Don't feel. Don't let them_-

Two short raps against her door shook her from her thoughts with a gasp, and before she could even utter a word, the door creaked open and a hooded head popped in. "Elsa...? I thought I heard something, and..." The girl's breath caught in her throat as the icy chill reached her, and then the sound of the blonde's barely suppressed sniffles reached her ears and she barged right in without request. "_Are you okay?!_"

She cringed and turned away as Ylva walked in. "I-I'm _fine_, just please leave."

Either the girl didn't hear her, or chose not to hear her as went to the open window to close it. "No wonder it's so cold in here, _your window's open_. Are you _trying_ to catch your death...?" Ylva turned to study the queen for a moment in the dim light, before going to her desk and picking up the candle there. "_Just one moment_..."

With her back facing her, she heard the sound of something striking the rough surface of something and saw a few sparks. With a faint hiss a dull orange light filled the room, before growing brighter. And then, when the pelt-covered girl turned to look back at her, the candle on her desk was lit.

"_How did you...?_"

Ylva waved off the question, a frown on her face as she hurried over. "I have a friend, an inventor of sorts... Anyway, ask me another time; _what's wrong?_ Are you hurt, ill?"

Wiping her cheeks before shakily standing, her hands balled into fists in an effort to keep it together. "I am fine, now please leave."

"_No_." Despite her shadowed face, Elsa could tell that she was looking at her like she was stupid as she said firmly, "You were _crying_. You were trying to catch a cold. _Alone_... I'm not leaving until you're better."

The blonde's voice cracked. "Please..."

"Well, _since you're asking so nicely_," She deadpanned at the queen. "_No_."

The chill in the room worsened and she clenched her hands so tightly that her knuckles turned white, trying to ignore the pelt-covered girl as she shakily breathed under her breath. "_Don't feel, don't feel-_"

"_Don't feel?_" Ylva frowned and leaned down to try to look the woman in the face. "Don't feel? Are you serious? _No_, you should always feel! That's what life is about, _that's why we're here_." Elsa tried not to let her gaze be drawn to the girl as she began pacing the length of the room. "Why would you even-_why is that even a thing for you?!_ That's terrible, and disheartening, and... _No!_" A huff left her lips as her gloved hands balled into fists. "Who told you that?!" A growl, low and from deep in her throat, a growl so similar to a wolf's that it was almost scary, came from her. "Nevermind, _don't tell me_. I'll end up hunting them down and punching them in the face..."

Despite herself, the ends of her lips twitched up. "Ylva..." The ranting and raving girl made her fears trickle from her mind, reminding her that this was her reality, now... She and Anna were closer than she had ever even dared to dream, and this odd friend was (hopefully) going to be a fairly common visitor...

"I don't care what reason you have," She continued, "To tell yourself to _not feel_ is like telling yourself to not breathe! It just-it just doesn't happen! And if you're telling yourself that and you're being serious, then..."

"_Ylva_."

A huff left her as she reached her desk. "_We're discussing this_, later. I don't care _who_ or _what_ you think you are, but you telling yourself that is the exact opposite of okay..."

The blonde's smile grew, slowly but surely. "I appreciate your concern..."

"You're damn right, I'm concerned! I-!" Her voice suddenly died in her throat, and the girl went still. Just Elsa started to get a bit worried, she turned with a small feather stuck between two fingers. "You kept this...?"

"Of course I did," Elsa drew her hands up as she fiddled with her fingers, "That was the only proof I had that you were real..."

The hooded girl cocked her head to the side, staring for a bit with an unreadable expression, before putting the feather back on the table and shuffling over to her bedside. She sat heavily on the bed, without invitation nor a request for permission, and heaved a sigh. "_You_... you are a mystery."

Elsa quirked a brow and smiled. "And you're not...?"

"_Not really_, no," She shot back lightly, dropping back onto the soft mattress and folding her arms behind her head. "There's not much I won't tell you, or anyone, really..." Ylva shifted to make sure the snout of her hood kept the upper half of her face covered. "I'm not really sure how old I am. I live in a hollowed out, old tree. I have trouble falling asleep a lot. I've traveled far in every direction, but I've always come back here... _See?_ I don't hide, but you..." Moving an elbow in her direction, she breathed a laugh. "_You_ do."

The queen laughed quietly into her hand. "How do you know I'm hiding something, exactly...?"

"_Because I'm not an idiot_," Ylva said, only to tense up and grimace. "I-I mean... I catch things easier, from living out in the wilds. Sometimes, you kind of... draw into yourself...? I'm not sure if you realize you do it, but you'll just get this look about you, like you're trying to hold something back."

She made a face. "Do I really...?"

"Yup." She started to say something else, only to freeze as a distant howl interrupted her, and she tensed. Fingers twitching, the hooded girl breathed between gritted teeth. "_They're getting closer_..." Before Elsa could question just _what_ she meant by that, she sat up and avoided looking at the blonde. "Do you think Anna would be mad if I left sometime in the night?"

"Probably," She nearly jumped as the thief touched her shoulder with nearly _unreasonably_ warm hands. "Why, what's wrong?" When she didn't receive an answer, a concerned look crossed her face. "_Ylva_... you say you don't hide, so tell me what's wrong. Please..."

The hooded girl moved to pull away, only to change her mind and let her hand stay as she bit her lip. "I... _I'm not sure_. I'm not sure what's wrong, or what I did, but there's-" Her breath hitched and bit her lip again, unknowingly drawing a bead of blood. A guilty look crossed her face, and fear started to show in her voice. "I'm just so tired, and something's..." She stopped again, and a resigned sigh left her. "I... _later_, okay? I promise, just not yet..."

"This isn't about me, anyways," Ylva continued, giving a somewhat forced smile. "This is about _you_. You had a nightmare, you were scared, you were alone, _you need a hug_."

And before Elsa could say anything else, she was engulfed in a hug.

The smell of pine and leather and warm invaded her senses, and she tensed for a moment before relaxing. Naturally, she knew that Ylva had just wanted to change the subject, but for now, she decided to let it go... Even as the girl started trembling, and as she realized that the hug was meant to comfort the girl as much as herself.

Neither felt to urge to end the hug, so they didn't. It wasn't until the shorter, but undoubtedly heavier and more muscular, started to lean all of her weight on Elsa, making the blonde breathe a laugh. "_Ylva?_" The hooded girl didn't answer, and Elsa started to pull away, only to realize that the girl's arms were locked firmly around her.

A quiet snore left the thief, and the queen went still for a moment before breaking out into laughter.

* * *

The following morning, Elsa had woken up in her bed in an odd position. Her arms had been out and she was on her side, as though she had been holding something. And, even more curious, she'd been laying on her bed sideways, but with her thick blanket thrown over her.

Her face had erupted in pink as she'd remembered what had happened last night, and found herself thanking the gods that none of the staff at the castle had walked in to see the rather... inappropriate-looking scene that she had undoubtedly been in.

While the act in itself had been innocent, the staff wouldn't have known that... All they would have known was that the queen and another woman that looked somewhat barbaric, were in a compromising position...

Shaking her head to herself, the woman stood from her bed and began her morning routine.

Boisterous laughs and squeals came from the kitchen as she walked by, and Elsa faltered mid-step before peeking in the open doorway to see what all the noise was.

And there, surrounded by Anna, Kristoff, and chefs, alike, stood Ylva. Her tongue stuck out in concentration as she juggled five bottles of wine, until she caught sight of the queen in the doorway, and her face molded into a look of surprise while her hands paused.

A yelp left the hooded girl as she realized her mistake, and she quickly began tossing the full bottles to the cooks around the room haphazardly to keep from breaking them. More cries of surprise and delight filled the room as they caught them, finally ending with Ylva all but falling over herself to catch the last bottle. As she'd caught the bottle, she tripped over her feet and fell back on her butt, face twisted in a comical expression as she flushed, clutching the bottle to her chest as the glass clinked against her mail shirt.

Cheers and laughs erupted from everyone as Ylva cracked a sheepish grin, glancing down at the bottle in her grasp. "Sorry about the abrupt ending, everyone." She jerked her head towards where the circle of people. "And you're _more than welcome_ to join in, your majesty."

Elsa bit back a laugh from behind her hand and walked in. "What on earth is going on in here...?"

Anna's eyes were bright as she grinned. "Ylva was juggling!"

"Yeah," The hooded girl gave a crooked smile. "I came in here for..." She trailed off, eyes looking up as though trying to search for the answer. "What did I come in here for...?"

One of the cooks, a large man with tree trunk-like arms chuckled. "I'm _assumin'_ you came in here for food, but you just started chattin' and such, and I think you forgot."

Her stomach roared on cue, and Ylva blushed. "Yeah, that... sounds about right. Can I have something to eat?"

'_Oi_," The man snorted and playfully pushed her towards the door, "Breakfast's almost done, now, go wait in the dinin' room like the rest of the royals, eh?"

As Anna and Kristoff began shuffling towards the door with Elsa, the hooded girl gave a playful push back, drawing the three's attention. "Well, I've got bad news for you, Mundus; _I'm not a royal_..."

"That's about as clear as day," He shot back with a wry smile. "Don't you be worryin' about bein' mistaken for royal."

Ylva started to retort, only to freeze before pretending to be furious. "_Are you trying to say something?!_"

"I'm sayin' that you look like something a bear spat out," The chef snorted a bark of laughter and pushed her towards the door. "Now out, out, _out!_ Out of my kitchen!"

"I didn't wanna be in your kitchen anyways!" She shot back, laughing and ducking as the huge man tossed a spoon at her. "And _you_ look like something an owl shat out!"

"_Oi!_ Watch your mouth around the queen and princess!"

She froze mid-duck and flushed, barely noticing as a fork bounced off of her stomach, glancing at the royal sisters and giving a sheepish look. "Oops...?"

The queen gave a small smile. "I've yet to complain," She reminded her lightly, "And neither has Anna. It's not a problem..."

"_Yeah!_" Anna piped up with a goofy smile, "It's a nice change of pace!"

The hooded girl breathed a sigh of relief before looking to Kristoff. "Where did you _find_ these people, Stinky...? And how come you always find the really great things before me?! I've roamed _all over_ this land, and I haven't found any that are even _half_ as nice as these... What kind of custom?"

"Well," He told her, "Have you ever tried looking _here?_ In Arendelle?" As she shook her head, he rolled his eyes. "_There you go_. They've always been here, you just haven't been looking in the right place. Just think, you could've found them years ago..."

Elsa bit back the urge to tell him that _no_, actually, she couldn't have. They'd been locked inside the castle...

But still, _it was a nice thought_. One that made her smile as the shorter, hooded girl grumbled complaints under her breath.

* * *

**Author's note~**

**Oh my glob you guys, guess who got pushed into a pool yesterday? _This girl_. Guess who's phone also died because her phone had been in her pocket at the time? _Also this girl_. My friends suck... I may also be getting sick, because I am sniffling like a _mo-fo_, and am hella cold. _Y_ay_..._ And more _fantastic news_, testing week is next week, so I _may_ end up having a lot less time to write... _or a hell of a lot more_. I really don't know, it all depends on my grades. And I stopped caring about school (more specifically, _math_) 396 years ago, and spend most of my time doodling, now, so... _dunno how that's gonna turn out_.**

**Coming up next! I don't really know... I kinda want Ylva to get hurt :B More hinting towards what's to come, methinks, start introducing the plot a little more.**

**So, I feel a little-a_ lotta_ awkward about this one chappie. I hope it's okay :I I tried. Haaaa, I'm an awkward turtle... a few people want this to be a romance-y thing, so... I'm gonna _try_. Nothing _too_ slashy, not yet; I'm gonna try and get a feel for writing it, and make sure no one gets pissed at me for it. Stuff that could be either/or, you feel me?**

**, _Blue_**


	5. Chapter 5

Elsa stifled a yawn as she walked into her room, running a hand through the messy locks to fix it a bit as she walked in. The hour was late, and she was exhausted...

So, one can imagine her surprise when a dry, faint voice rasped her name. "_Elsa_..."

A sharp cry left her, and she _would_ have frozen the owner of the voice to wall, if she hadn't quickly recognized it. "Ylva?! What on _earth_ are you doing here at this hour?" Her voice caught in her throat as the dim glow of the candle on her desk caught the light of a dark liquid soaked on her arm. Panic bubbled in her stomach as she noticed the pained expression on the hooded girl's face and hurried over.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to bother you," She said weakly as Elsa neared, "I just didn't know where else to go. I couldn't make it back to my home, and..." She moved to gesture to her arm, only to wince and grunt in pain, bending over. She nearly fell to the ground, but Elsa (just barely) managed to catch her. "On the bright side, getting the armor turned out to be a really good idea; I would have lost an arm and a chunk of my side if I didn't have it..."

Elsa tried to stay relatively calm as she half-dragged, half-carried the girl to her bed. "_What happened to you?!_"

"Wolves," The thief answered simply, "A whole lot of wolves... And you didn't have to put me on your bed, I was just going to-" Her breath hitched as she shifted, face contorting with pain as she moved, bending over a bit in an attempt to stop to pain. "I was just going to ask for directions to the infirmary... _I'm getting blood on your bed_."

"I don't care, it's fine," She breathed in a rush, leaping to her feet. "Stay here, I'll be right back."

And with that, Elsa sprinted out of the room and through the halls, not taking notice as ice crawled a path up the walls, following her on her race to the infirmary.

Once there, she hurriedly grabbed some bandages and a box with string and needles before rushing back out.

When she came back in, the candle was out. For a moment, she panicked, fearing the worst, until she noticed the slumped form in front of the window that was illuminated by the moonlight. For a moment, _she didn't realize it was her thief_, without the tell-tale fur and ears on her silhouette. "Ylva...?"

Shoulders tensed, and she limped out of the light and into the shadows. "Sorry... I don't want you to see me, not without _something_ covering my face. I needed my cloak off to do this..."

The blonde gave a shaky breath, eying the dark outline of her. "Is all of this really necessary...?"

"Yes." Her voice was firm. "I don't want you to see... I don't want _anyone_ to see, least of all you... Could you come here and help me, please...?"

She moved to the dark corner. "I can't really see..."

"_I can_," Ylva assured her gently, shakily, "I won't let you trip or bump anything, I promise... just come here and help me."

Wanting to help her as quick as she could, she hurried over. A soft yelp left her as a hand tugged her into the shadows, and she could feel the warmth emanating from Ylva the shorted fiddled with something on her belt. She heard a soft _pop!_ and heard her spit, only to curse and put a balled hand into hers.

"This might sound a bit odd," She started, hissing in pain as she shifted before continuing, "But I need you to spit in my hand."

Now, she wanted to help, but she couldn't quite see how spitting in her hand would help...

The girl must have seen the hesitation, and gave a short whine. "It's something I learned from a traveling shaman. She called it '_ochre_,' and you either need water from a spring, water from melted snow or ice, or, _for lack of better word_, spit. My mouth is dry and I _can't_, so _please_ just spit in my hand, even if it sounds weird!"

_And it did_. It did sound weird, but she seemed to know what she was talking about... So, she promptly, albeit a bit hesitantly, spat into her hand.

Once she had done the deed, the hand pulled away, and she squinted to try and see what the shorter girl looked like.

A dry chuckle came from the darkness. "No offense, Elsa, but that's _not gonna work_. I made sure you wouldn't be able to see." The girl started to say something else, only to have her breath hitch and a strangled whimper come from her.

Panic spiked in Elsa's stomach. "_What is it_, what's wrong?!"

"_Nothing_," She rasped, staggering and all but collapsing against the queen with a strangled curse. "_It's just worse than I thought it was_. It - _shit_," A gasp left her as Elsa held onto her to keep her from crumpling onto the ground. "The burning means its working. The more it burns, the worse it - _fuck!_" A shuddery breath left the girl in her arms, and she could feel her face in her arm. "_Definitely_ had some kind of disease... it's a good thing I got this done now, instead of later. It would have been worse if I'd-" Her sentence got cut off by a groan, and as tremors started wracking her body, Elsa started to panic again.

Frost began forming on the tips of her fingers, eyes welling with tears as she started breathing heavy because it almost seemed like she was _dying_, and there was nothing she could do to help, and-

"_Hey_," A warm, trembling hand grasped hers as the thief fought to choke out words. "I'll be okay in a-" Her breath hitched again, but she audibly struggled to not make another noise of pain, "_In a bit_. I promise - I _promise_ I'm okay." The hand around hers squeezed once, twice, before she continued. "Band-_bandages_. Help... bandage."

Her voice was almost a sob, and neither noticed the ice quickly crawling on the ceiling. "I-I can't see, and-"

"I'll show you. Just... _relax_. I'm safe, _you're_ safe." Her other hand, the one clutching the bandages, was tugged with some difficulty.

And slowly but surely, the two got Ylva's arm bandaged. With the shorter girl's horridly shaky hands and gentle, albeit strained voice as a guide, Elsa got it done.

At the other's request, the blonde pulled the heavy curtains shut, engulfing the room in darkness so that the other could move about without fear. Once the room was cloaked in darkness, she heard the girl stumble around and curse, before finally tugging on her arm.

"Come on," She said with some difficulty, "I'll lead you to your bed." Elsa let herself be led, still on the brink of panic, when she was stopped. The blankets on her bed brushed against her leg as Ylva sighed. "Would you calm down...? I'm not dying or anything, I'm just," Her breath caught in her throat again, and she could feel her tremble and tense before slowly exhaling. "_Hurting_."

The blonde didn't say anything, just searched in the darkness to try and find the shorter, and she heard another sigh. "_Okay_... you need a hug." Warm arms wrapped around her, and the owner of said arms bit back a whimper. "You're about to-_ngh._" A hiss left her lips before she continued weakly, "To have a panic attack here. Just... _breathe_."

"I'm sorry," A shuddery breath came from her as she moved her arms to hug her back without thinking. "I just-I didn't know what to do and you wouldn't let me _see_, and you were in so much _pain_ and I wanted to help, but you wouldn't let me..."

"_I know_."

"There was just nothing I could do..."

"I know," She mumbled. "I'm sorry..." Elsa felt her shift. "Also, I think I'm getting blood on your dress..."

The blonde gave a shaky laugh. "_I don't care_..." _And she really didn't_. The panic was beginning to subside and fade as she held onto the girl, the warmth reminding her that her friend was very much alive and safe, now... The helplessness, the racing heart, the fear was all gone. Just the familiar smell of forest and leather, and the _warm_.

Ylva started to tremble even more in her arms, and for a moment, the ice queen feared it was _her_ doing, before she realized that her sleeve was getting wet. "I... _are you crying_...?"

"_Only a little,_" Her voice cracked. "_Shit_, sorry... the rush finally went away, _I don't even know why I'm crying_, but I am..." Her voice tinged higher at her last word and her hands tightened. It wasn't much, but it was enough to make her concerned because she may have been lying... And if she was lying about who or what had attacked her...

What if it was actually bandits...? What if she had gotten raped?

It made her feel terrible to ask, but she had to know_._ The queen forced herself to ask with as much gentleness as she could. "Are you lying...?"

"_Yeah_." Her reply was instantaneous. "I'm totally lying; I know why I'm crying, and it's not just because I'm hurt..."

Her hold on the girl tightened. "Ylva..."

A whimper, low and mournful, so similar to a dog's it was uncanny, left her lips. Another fresh wave of shudders came from her as she buried her face into the crook of Elsa's neck. "_Don't be mad at me_, please... I swear I won't ever bother you again, I just didn't know where else to go, and I didn't want to sleep out in the streets with an open wound. I don't know why but you were the first person I thought of when I needed someone to help me, but I'll leave you alone-

"_Ylva_," Filling her voice with firm but still gentle authority, Elsa shushed her. "I'm not upset with you. I'm glad you knew to come to me when you needed help, because you _can_. My door is always open. But you showed up in my room, bleeding out and ready to crumble, and I feel that I deserve to know the _exact reason_ why... Not the part that _you_ choose, not _half_ of the truth, but _all of it_."

"You do, you do, you totally do..." She trailed off.

At first, she had assumed the smaller was thinking, and waited patiently. But after around five minutes, she shifted the girl slumped in her arms. "Um... _Ylva_...?" Her shoulders dropped and her brows drew together in an exasperated look. "Did you fall asleep on me _again_...?" A near silent snore was her answer, and the woman heaved a sigh to herself in the dark.

Well... at least they were near the bed...

* * *

Elsa awoke to feeling a dip in the bed lift. Without thinking, she reached her hand out and grabbed a fist full of shirt, eyes still closed as she nuzzled her face into her pillow. "_No_, don't leave..."

A quiet chuckle broke the silence, and a warm, lightly calloused hand tugged her hand away from the shirt before lightly squeezing it. "If you don't want me to, I won't just yet. Wait one second, will you?" The light clink of metal links moving together filled her ears after her hand was dropped.

After a few seconds, she recognized the voice and her eyes shot wide open. When she saw what was in front of her, her eyes got even wider as she did her best to drink in the sight before her and glue it to memory.

A form was crouched on the floor in front of her. Long, well-tanned forearms that were littered with scrapes and scars and bruises scooped up the wolf's pelt on the floor. Subtle curves and muscled legs showed in baggy, dull green pants.

Her eyes drew to the bandaged arm and shoulder, and the dried blood that had soaked through. Inky black hair was pulled into a messy ponytail before the hands fiddled with the cloak, and Elsa _groaned_ as they pulled the pelt around the slightly muscular shoulders and lifted the hood.

The hooded girl turned and gave an easy smile. "I gave you _more_ than enough time to peek. You should be happy I just let you look at my _back_, because I had half a mind to not let you do _that_." The girl, which she now knew had black hair, plopped down on the floor against the wall and rubbed her face from under the snout of her hood. "But I felt bad for last night..."

One on her brows quirked. "Why...?"

"I dunno," She exhaled heavily and slumped. "I was so freaking _tired_ and then the whole thing with the _wolves_, and half of the time I was running here, I had rabid wolves on my tail... I ended up letting a lot slip that I wouldn't normally, and crying and bleeding all over you while the ochre burned away whatever disease was in me..." The pelt-covered girl hummed. "And I think that I fell asleep on you...? I'm not usually so hysterical and clingy, so... _yeah_. Sorry..." She rubbed the back of her neck. "Not usually so narcoleptic, either... you just always seem to catch me at the end of my rope."

Brows drawing together, her lips curved up in an amused smile. "_Do I...?_"

"_Yeah_." A breath of laughter huffed from the pelt-covered girl. "The first time we met...? I hadn't eaten anything but a handful of berries in a week. That week after the sleep-over thing, I'd only slept a good three or four hours for the whole week... And then," She gave a sheepish, apologetic smile, "Last night, well... that was a good mix of blood loss, sleep problems, and fading adrenaline."

Elsa nodded thoughtfully as she sat up, rubbing her eyes as she looked around her room. Blood stained the floor near the window and various pieces of armor laid on the floor. Her belt, sword, dagger, and various other things still tied to the leather, sprawled out on the ground near her desk.

Ylva must have followed her eyes, because when the blonde's gaze turned back to her, she flushed and suddenly found her bandaged arm to be the most interesting thing in the world. "I... _I can clean_." She faltered as she fiddled with a small tear in the sleeve, neck reddening when the queen didn't respond. "You aren't mad at me, are you...?"

Lips curling up at her meek expression, the queen shook her head and giggled as the girl gave a relieved sigh. "No, I'm not mad, and you don't have to clean it..." She paused and sat up a bit more. "I _do_ want to know what's going on, though."

"I know..." Shoulders slumping again, Ylva squirmed in place and dropped her head back against the wall. "I don't... I'm not sure what's going on, yet, either, but I'm going to try and get to the bottom of this today, I _promise_."

"You don't even have to do that. Just... please, don't leave me in the dark."

At her words, Ylva immediately tensed and looked away, staring at her knees. "I don't... I'm not _trying_ to..." She faltered and slumped, moving to run a hand through her hair but only mussing the fur and ears on her hood. "Well, _yeah_, I am, actually. I... _sorry_. I'm not ready to lose you just yet."

Her cheeks went pink at the ragged girl's words, and, _evidently_, she took notice to it. She stood up and walked over to the lightly blushing queen, concern etched onto her face.

"Are you ill...? See, _this is why_ you don't leave your window open in winter." A frown tugged at her chapped lips as she placed a warm palm on her pale forehead, and Elsa went darker. Simply shrugging, the pelt-covered girl grabbed the thick blanket from the bed and wrapped her in it before stepping back. "Take a day off, today," She suggested lightly, "Stay warm, drink some soup."

"I'll be back," Ylva told her as she walked to the window, only to falter and glance back, face molding into a sheepish expression. "Unless... you don't want me to...? Because I could understand if you didn't, since..." She gestured around the room.

Her posture was slumped, and she hugged her bandaged arm slightly as she bit her lip, and it occurred to Elsa that the girl, her thief, was being serious...

Elsa cracked a smile. "I'd like for you to come back, if you could..."

She immediately brightened, and Elsa could imagine her eyes lighting up from under the snout of her hood. "_Yeah_. I... _yeah_, I could." Goofy grin still on her face, she nodded and gestured to the woman still in bed. "Yeah... you-you rest, now, then; I'm going to go talk around."

The blonde giggled into her hand, looking back up, only to jerk as she realized that Ylva was gone... Again. No sign left of her having ever been there, save for the dried blood on the floor.

_She really needed to stop doing that_...

* * *

**Author's note~**

**OH GOSH HERE COMES THE ANXIETY AGAIN... At least it's not as bad as it _could_ have been. It was initially a lot more... _shippy_, but I went back and toned it down, because I really, seriously think that, _yeah_, Elsa probably _craves_ affection and warm hugs and stuff from being isolated for 13 years... _But she was isolated for 13 years_. She was kinda hesitant with _Anna_, her sister. So she'd be _hella_ shy with other people. Thus, having Ylva try for snuggles when she's wide-awake and not delirious from blood loss didn't seem pretty likely when I thought about it, cuz she _definitely_ noticed that Elsa had a thing against touching under normal circumstances. She just doesn't know _why_... (_hinthint_ it's the ice powers)  
**

**So yeah. Hope this isn't _too bad_. I tried :c I swear I'll get the hang of this shtuff, maybe...**

**I think I'm gonna try for a little normalcy on the next one. A lil' less plot, a lil' more magic of friendship/fluffiness. And in case anyone was wondering, I _am_ gonna try and make this a slash thingy. It's not gonna be very good, but I'm gonna try...  
**


	6. Chapter 6

"Blood was running and I don't know _whose_ it was, _but there it was_; and I was running as fast as my legs could take me, stray branches slapping me in the face as the wind howled in my ears," Ylva looked up from the wooden shaft she was carving to gesture up to the sky with her old knife, an easy smile growing as Anna gasped and lifted her hands to her mouth. "Whispers of those long gone, screaming for me to run as shadows and wolves snapped at my heels."

Elsa's brows drew together and she smiled in amusement as Anna leaned in close to the pelt-covered girl sitting on the table. "_And then what?_"

"I tripped." She replied simply, chuckling as the redhead's eyes widened.

"_No_."

"Oh yeah," Lifting the shaft to inspect it and seeming to find it acceptable, she put it aside and grabbed the next scrap of wood to carve. "One of them grabbed me by my leg, and the others joined it as another leapt onto my chest, aiming to rip out my throat..."

The ice queen watched her retell the story thoughtfully, silently recalling how scared the thief had been on the night of her story and noting how nonchalantly she spoke of it now... The difference was astounding, and a little bit concerning.

If she was being so calm and collected now, after the actual event had actually been terrifying for her, what of the rest of her stories? Was she actually so at ease after being near death, or did she re-live the fear just to amuse people...?

Both of them had gone quiet, Elsa from her thoughts, Ylva from inspecting the shaft she was carving, and Anna all but shouted with anticipation from the silence. "_And then what happened?_"

Apparently the outburst had startled Ylva, too, because with a jerk of her hand, a loud curse came from her as ruby blood dripped from her finger and her knife clattered to the floor. "_Shit!_"

"_Oh my gosh_," The redhead yelped, moving to try and help somehow, only to back away. "I'm so sorry!"

The hooded girl simply waved her off, face twisting with pain as she promptly stuck her finger in her mouth, gaining a temporary lisp from the action as she slurred around her finger. "I'th fine, juth a scrath, don't worry..."

Elsa couldn't help but roll her eyes as she stood up and walked over, a smile threatening to tug at her lips. "Let me see it..."

"_I'th fine!_" She protested, starting to say something else, only to slouch as the blonde simply held out a hand. The two stared each other down until Elsa quirked a brow, and the shorter slumped even lower before huffing and pulling her finger from her mouth, and her finger began beading blood again.

"It hasn't even been a _day_," The blonde sighed as she turned the tanned, scarred hand in her own pale, smooth ones. "How do you manage to get hurt so often...?"

"_Very carefully_." Ylva quickly snapped her mouth shut as clear, icy blue eyes flicked up to meet hers, which were shrouded in shadow. A crooked smile curved her lips in apology as she shrugged. "Living is an occupational hazard."

Elsa paused, having grabbed a cloth and was halfway through wrapping it around the shorter's gushing finger. "_What...?_"

"Living's an occupational hazard," She repeated, albeit a bit sheepishly. "That's the price we have to pay for being able to live and love and take life and receive love. We get hurt, and broken-hearted; we lose some and we make mistakes because those problems are what make people realize how precious life is."

"Not everyone realizes this, of course," The pelt-covered girl gave a wry smile. "That's why we have bandits and murderers and crime. Some people can go through life without _ever_ getting the repercussions that come with living, or they get them, and it twists and warps their mind-set beyond repair. _It happens_... and more often than it really should, but that's why it's so _great_ when pain shows the light of love."

It went stock-still in the room as the royal sisters gaped at the armored girl, and she blushed at their shocked gazes. "_What?_ Is there something on my face...?"

Anna blinked, eyes still wide. "Say that again..."

Ylva tilted her head to the side. "What; _is there something on my face?_"

"No, no," The redhead breathed, "That thing about how living is an occupational hazard."

She flushed. "Did it sound that dumb...?"

"_No_," Elsa assured her breathlessly, chest feeling as though it were full of warm air, "It was - it was _beautiful_... Where did you-who told you that?"

"My mawwi - err, my wolf told me," She turned darker and rubbed the back of her neck from under her hood. "She told me that getting hurt was the price we paid for being born. I just... filled in the blanks, sort of..." Coughing into her elbow, she shifted in place. "I hadn't worded it as, uh... _eloquently_, as I could have, but it got my point across, I think..."

Anna all but squealed as she jumped on the blushing girl's back. "Shut up, that was _beautiful!_ If it was any more beautiful, I would have cried!"

A relieved and infectious smile crossed the armored girl's face as she staggered a bit to accommodate the weight. "I, uh... _thanks_...?" She turned to look at the blonde, who had just finished tying the cloth around her hand.

"You are full of surprises," The blonde smiled from behind her hand. "And if you truly learned this from a dog, maybe I should start trying to talk to dogs more often."

Ylva stopped and stared, only to throw her head back and laugh, just as the queen had started to get self-conscious. When she finally stopped and grinned, Elsa could faintly see the crinkles around her eyes as she tried to stifle giggles. "You are just a treat; you know that?"

Turning pink, she gave a tentative smile. "Am I...?"

"_Absolutely_." Stepping away and giving a joking bow, she flashed another smile before picking up her knife and turning to Anna. "Well... I guess I could take a break from making arrow shafts for Gunnar; let my cut close up... Do you want to teach me how to play that game you talked about, what was it...? Seek and Hide...?"

The redhead's previously thoughtful face lit up. "_Hide and Seek!_"

"Close enough." Ylva waved it off nonchalantly.

"_Yeah!_" Elsa watched, entertained, as Anna bounded over.

The hooded girl snorted, the corners of her lips going up as she casually threw an arm over the shorter's shoulders. "You were awfully quiet over there for a while, by the way... You aren't planning something, are you...?"

With a sly smile, the freckled girl gave a _too_ innocent look. "What, _me?_ Why, I never..." She grabbed the girl by her arm and began tugging her along. "Come on, let's go play!

"Oh, gods..." Ylva breathed, glancing at Elsa and silently pleading for help before being pulled through the door.

Elsa smiled and her brow raised as a sharp yelp, belonging to Ylva, came through the wooden door. There was a thud, and then silence...

Simply shaking her head to herself, she took a deep breath. _So long as they didn't end up burning the castle down_...

* * *

The door behind her clicked shut, but Elsa didn't look up from the letter on her desk.

"Do you need any help, _your majesty?_" The last two words were spoken in light jest, and made the queen look up from the paper.

Her brows drew together. "Ylva...? What are you doing here?" She paused, eyes flicking back to the letter in her grasp. "Weren't you playing hide and seek with Anna...?"

"Oh, I still am," The girl reached up to tug the snout of her hood a bit farther down her face. "I just found her, is all... I'm the hider, now."

A smile curled on the blonde's lips. "You found her already...? The game hadn't even been going on for five minutes!" She simply shrugged and gave a sheepish look, and Elsa quirked a brow as her smile grew. "The castle is by _no means_ small."

"As it turns out, I'm a pretty good seeker," Shifting on her feet, she repeated her earlier question. "So, do you need any help, or maybe company...?" Her face fell a bit as she jerked her head back to the door. "Or I could just go, I mean... I could find plenty of other places to hide."

Running a hand through her white-blonde hair, she glanced at the stack of unopened letters on her desk. "Actually... I would love some help and company. Pull up a chair."

With a grin, Ylva did as she was told and plopped down with little grace before giving a joking bow with a flair of her hands. "So, what can I do to help, my fair and lovely Ice Queen of Arendelle...?"

Giggling into her hand, Elsa flashed a small smile and passed her the letter in her hands. "Read this for me, and give me a brief summary of what it says."

However, the pelt-covered girl's face quickly fell. "I... wait, what...?" Elsa could imagine dark brows furrowing together in the shadow of her hood as she waved the paper in the air. "You want me to read this...? _This?_" At the queen's amused nod, her shoulders tensed under the furred cloak. "I... are you sure you can trust me with such important..." She trailed off and looked back at the letter beginning to crumple in her hand, "_Such an important document?_"

"Yes, I'm quite sure I can trust you with an _acceptance letter_ to a ball," She assured her lightly, teasingly. "I trust you won't run to Arendelle's enemies with this important piece of information."

Flushing, the girl gave a sheepish nod and quickly drew her attention to the paper, and Elsa moved onto the next.

It was all fine, and quiet. But by the time the queen had read through half of the fourth acceptance letter, she realized that Ylva had yet to even look up from the paper.

"Um... _Ylva_...?"

Said girl jerked and looked up, turning red at the blonde's questioning look. "Yes?"

"How are you..." She faltered before asking again, voice gentle. "What have you read so far on your letter...?"

"_Uh_..." Her gloved hands visibly shook as she lifted it a bit, head down as she read with a slight tremor in her voice. "Gre... _greeting_ and... f..." She faltered, turning scarlet. "Fa... _fair_. Ti... tide..."

"_Tidings_." Elsa finished softly, nodding a bit as she motioned for her to continue.

Ylva looked as though she wanted to fall through the floor, but looked back at the paper. A _relieved_ expression came over her face as she came to something she clearly knew. "Greetings and fair tidings, _Queen Elsa of Arendelle_."

"Alright, good, now what comes after...?"

Her face fell as quickly as it had raised. "W-we... ah... are... mo-moss-"

"Most." The blonde corrected quietly, carefully watching the girl besides her fidget.

"Y-_yeah_. Most." Clearing her throat, she used a shaky hand to lightly pull at the collar of her earth brown, worn and torn shirt. "Most... crate... full..."

"Grateful."

Her head quickly bowed. "_Right_. That. I-I knew that, I was just..." She trailed off and didn't continue.

"Ylva?"

"Yeah...?"

"Can you read...?"

A shamed look crossed her red face as she lifted her head a bit. "I... sort of...?" She licked her lips before dropping her head again. "Ah... _no_. Not-not really... Dogs don't really know how to read, so... _yeah_."

It very nearly broke her heart to see Ylva sound so small and scared. She supposed that it was just another reminder that this odd girl wasn't as infallible as she had seemed when they had first met...

Without thinking, she reached out and put a single finger under her chin to gently lift her face. A fond smile crossed the blonde's face as she told her gently. "_It's alright_. I could teach you, if you'd like."

"You'd do that for me...?"

"_I'd do that for you_." Elsa had barely finished giving a short nod before a heavy weight hit her chest and warm arms squeezed her middle in a bear hug. The queen tensed for a moment before quickly melting into the warmth, a smile growing on her face as she held the smaller. "It's not that big of a deal..."

"It's really that big of a deal." She said into her shoulder.

"It's going to take a lot of practice," The blonde reminded her lightly. "And I may not be the greatest teacher..."

A snort left the girl as she nuzzled her shoulder. "You're going to be the _best_ teacher. You're the nicest person I've ever met and probably the most patient, and _thank you so much_."

Not knowing what else to say, Elsa simply beamed and lightly squeezed the girl in her arms as she fought to not blush at the praise.

The air was calm, and _warm_... until, out of no where, Ylva tensed up in her arms and leapt away with a yelp, tripping over the chair and landing flat on her back. As the girl on the floor grimaced and flushed scarlet, Elsa gave her a slack-jawed look.

"_What are you doing?_"

"I'm sorry!" The hooded girl fidgeted as she gingerly sat up and winced. "Oh gods, I'm so sorry, I forgot!"

Her brows drew together. "Forgot _what?!_"

"You don't like hugs!" She grimaced as she looked down to inspect her bandaged arm and, Elsa suspected, to avoid her eyes. "You're not really a touchy-feely person, right, and I can totally respect that! I mean, _people are gross_. We sweat, and then with _me_, I always have blood on me, and dirt and sometimes I have _tree blood_..."

The queen gave her a bewildered look. "What on earth are you going on about...?"

Ylva gave a meek look and shrunk. "_I know you don't like being touched_."

"What?" A snort and smile twitched at her lips as her brows quirked. "What makes you think that...?"

The hand not wrapped in cloth twitched as the other raised to muss with fur on her hood. "I... just, the way you act, and react," The girl blushed. "You kind of _flinch_, when people get near you, and even with Anna, sometimes you're really hesitant to touch her..."

Brows furrowing, she asked tentatively. "Am I really...?

"Yeah," She shrugged, waving a hand in the air. "It's not obvious, though, so don't worry... It's actually a really, really subtle thing, so I'm _pretty_ sure that you know you do it, but try to hide it. If it makes you feel any better, you're doing a good job, and I don't think anyone else ever notices..."

The ice queen went quiet for a moment, studying the girl still sitting on the floor. This girl... this girl was so attentive that sometimes it was scary. "And you figured this just by watching me...?"

Another shrug, and she bowed her head to study her fingers. "I also figured that you're _really_ self-conscious. You have the lowest self-esteem of anyone I've ever met; when in reality, _you should have the highest_. And you're hiding something." Ylva's fingers tightened, whether conscious of it or not, she didn't know. "More specifically, you're hiding something from _me_, and me alone."

Not denying it, but not agreeing, either, Elsa watched her with an edge of caution. "What makes you think this, exactly?"

"It's the little things... The way you hold yourself, and your arms and hands. How your eyes move to each thing, the way they darken or brighten. The way you seem to _hold yourself back_, sometimes." A soft grunt left her as she pulled her legs up to her chest. "Just... _very carefully_, I guess. There's no other way to explain it. I'm not even sure I'm right, you know... there are just blanks, and I fill them up; I don't _read minds_, so you can stop squeezing the life out of your chair..."

Elsa jumped in her skin and looked down, only to realize that she really _was_ squeezing the chair beneath her. Looking back up, she said slowly, with deliberate thought and consideration for each word. "I... wasn't thinking that you could read minds."

"Oh?" She could imagine a dark brow raising from under the wolf's head. "Enlighten me, then, if you would."

"I was thinking," The blonde breathed in, slow and deep, "That you could be a _great enemy_, if you so chose it... and I was wondering if I should be in _awe_, or fear."

Ylva snorted and cracked a tentative smile. "Well... I would _hope_ you would be in awe, seeing as I came to you at my weakest..." The smile, already so weak, faltered. "I do consider you a close friend. Should I... not?"

Her entire chest felt like it was caving in as she jumped from her chair, eyes wide. "_No!_ No, no, no, you most certainly should! I just - I'm not entirely sure how to see you... You're very... different, from anyone I've ever met."

And just like that, it was like the ball just dropped. Ylva's face fell, and her whole posture just slumped in defeat. It seemed as though she had been _waiting_ to hear those words, and now that she heard them, she was all but done. Ylva must have been holding a lot in, and that was the signal to just let it out...

"I know," She grimaced as the blonde strode over and helped her up. "I know I am... I'm sorry, I just... _people_." She gestured around after brushing off her sleeve. "People are so... so... _I don't even know how to describe it_. Dogs, wolves, we don't do this... _this_. We," Elsa silently took note of how the girl referred to herself as one with the animals, "Don't do this hiding. When we like someone, we just _show it_. We nuzzle and play and cuddle when it's cold; we always show exactly how we feel, and if we can't show it then we _tell_ it, but not _you_. I have to constantly remind myself that if I walked up to you and nuzzled your shoulder that you would probably be uncomfortable. I have to be aware, and now I _have_ to be more observant or else I won't know, and I think I'm not doing it right and I'm _sorry_..."

"All I wanted," She continued, "Was to try and integrate with my own kind because I was lonely, but it's so _difficult_. Walking up to people you don't know and trying to strike up a conversation is considered odd, apparently... _Who knew?_ How was I supposed to know that wearing pants and armor while being a girl is wrong? Letting curious children feel my cloak and answering their questions is frowned upon! Asking someone why they're sad gets you glared at. Offering to help a trader move his goods to a cart gets you accused of trying to run off with his livelihood... _Who knew?_ Trying to help people, giving your honest opinion, it gets you burned..."

Elsa felt a sympathetic frown tug at her lips, staring at the sullen girl for a moment before breathing a sigh. "You know, the world would be a much better place if we did things the way you did."

The pelt-covered girl snorted and raised her shoulders in a half-hearted shrug. "Would it...? Because from what I've gathered, I've been doing things wrong my whole life."

"Maybe... maybe it's really _us_ that have been doing things wrong," She offered lightly. "Maybe we need someone with a different point of view to show us the way."

Ylva gave a half-hearted, lopsided smile as her head tilted to the side slightly. "I know what you're trying to do, you know... I'm illiterate, not dumb. So... _thanks_." Pausing, she added much quieter, "And look... we're both hiding something, right? I got that. And, if you want, I don't _have_ to know what you're hiding, but..." Her voice went lower as she lightly bowed her head. "I _will_ show you... one day. You deserve to know, but I wasn't _joking_ when I said I wasn't ready to lose you. So... _soon_, okay?"

"You don't have to..."

"_I know I don't_." She straightened up and bit her lip. "I want to. I owe you a lot, just... _give me a while_, to work up the nerve."

Opening her mouth to protest, she found that the words quickly died in her throat. _She really did want to know_...

"Okay." The blonde gave a small smile and nodded, only to pause as a thought hit her. "But I two conditions..." Lips pursing in thought, the hooded girl simply motioned for her to continue. "I want you to tell me some more about what you learned from being out in the wilds with animals, when and if there is time for it."

The shorter hummed and cocked her head to the side. "Yeah, I suppose I could manage that... What's the other thing?"

She took a deep breath. "I don't want you to stop yourself anymore, _not around me_, at the very least. If you feel the urge to, what did you say, nuzzle my shoulder...? _Do it_. You're actions are not wrong, and I want you to know that. It will help both of us; you won't feel so alienated, and it will help me get used to contact with people... And if I'm to be completely honest, I quite like the hugs, once I get over the initial surprise..."

Her hands twitched. "So, like... if I wanted to hug you, right now...?"

The blonde smiled. "You can."

With that, her thief grinned and engulfed the taller in a hug. "You may end up regretting telling me that, because you're one of my favorite people, and you strike as someone who pretty much _always_ needs a hug. I don't know why... _I think it's just your face_. Or that sixth sense, dog-thing..."

"_Sixth sense, dog-thing?_" A brow raised as she smiled down at the smaller.

"Yes," Ylva nuzzled her shoulder. "I can't really explain it. I just kinda _know_ when someone's been through a tough life... But, _again_, it could be that you just have one of those faces. Either way," She lightly squeezed the blonde and chuckled at the _ever so graceful_ squeak she made, "You're going to be hugged."

"I see no problem with this." Elsa giggled, pausing as she heard Anna's distant scream of frustration. "And I think Anna just quit the game..."

"_Oh!_" The hooded girl gave another quick squeeze before putting the taller down, "Wow, she didn't even _try_ coming near here, did she...?"

An amused smile twitched at her lips. "I'm presuming that she didn't think you would hide in here for risk of bothering me, if you could call it hiding."

"I... _oh_," A guilty look crossed her face. "I wasn't, was I...? Bothering you, I mean..."

"As I've told Anna, you are never a bother."

Ylva started to say something, only to double take and give her a surprised look. She stared for a few seconds before a goofy grin crossed her face, and she rushed over to nuzzle the taller's neck, sending the blonde into giggles.

"You're like a cat." She teased lightly, cheeks pink and eyes bright.

The hooded girl made an insulted noise and her lower lip jutted out a bit in a pout as she pulled away, asking jokingly, "What? You _dare_ insult me like that...?"

"_It's cute_." She assured her, fighting off another bout of laughter as the armored girl crossed her arms and harrumphed.

Ylva started to protest again, something along the lines of '_I'm not cute,_' only to stop as Anna's distant yell interrupted her. "_Ylvie! I've been looking forever, I quit! Come out!_"

"Well," The hooded girl grinned and gave a low bow with a flourish of her hands. "I suppose that's my cue to head out. Don't work too hard, and remember to take a break every so often."

Her eyes drew back to the pile of replies to the invitations, and when she looked back, the odd girl was gone. Though, she had half expected it, this time...

_Was it bad that she was getting used to her disappearing without a trace...?_

Anna's sharp scream of surprise, presumably because of the thief's sudden appearance, and Ylva's bark of laughter was her answer.

When she went back to her desk, a smile grew on her face and wouldn't go away. Really, though... _she didn't mind_.

* * *

**Author's note~**

**Whew! This was a longer one... Think of it as an '_I'm sorry_', cuz tomorrow I'm heading back up to VA to see my mom and brother, and I probably won't be able to update for a while. _That's_ gonna be fun... I'm gonna be able to enjoy _two hour traffic_ for a trip that would normally take fifteen minutes. _Yay_...**

**So, here's some normalcy. We see a bit of what it's been like for wolf girl, coming into town after having lived in the wilds by herself/with some puppies. And that she's not quite as oblivious as she made herself out to be, _whoops_. And that she likes snugglez. But that's NEEDED when it comes to Elsa, because _damnit_, she always needs more hugs! Especially now... In every Frozen story I'm reading, _people are dying or being tortured or taken captive_. I'M LOOKING AT YOU 'FROZEN FRACTALS' AND 'FOR THE FIRST TIME'.  
**

**Right. So, as a recap... Very hug. Much word. Many sorry for future absence. Yep.**

**More awkward squirming from Blue because she sucks at writing. More awkward crying because I know what's gonna happen and it's gonna... _eehhh_, you guiz. There's gonna be emotions. They might not be very well conveyed, because I'm kind of a shitty writer, but _guiz_. Don't be too pissed at me when the time comes, that's alls I'm sayin'. UGH.  
**

**Just Frozen in general, man... it gives me feelings.  
**

**, _Blue_**


	7. Chapter 7

Elsa bit the inside of her lip to keep from grimacing as the dance instructor, a short yet wiry man made a noise of disapproval and stepped away.

"My queen, you will never learn how to dance if you do not loosen up. If only just a touch...? You won't hurt me; you have your gloves to ensure so..."

"I'm sorry," She said weakly, looking hopelessly to the spot where Anna used to be. The redhead had gotten that look, the one she got when she had an idea and had left before the elder could protest. Learning to dance had been bad enough without her sister's immensely comforting presence, but _now_...

Her hands trembled as the man peered up his rather bulbous nose, up at her. "Your majesty, might I suggest you find a partner you are a touch more comfortable with...? I believe that is a large part of the problem. I would suggest your sister, but due to her absence..." He trailed off.

"_I'm here!_" Anna's bubbly voice cut off more suggestions from the instructor, beaming as Elsa turned to look at her. "I found you a dance partner!" The redhead grinned wide as she all but shoved a familiar, hooded person in front of her.

Ylva stumbled to keep from tripping, a pastry in her hand as she looked back at the shorter girl with a bewildered look. "Uh... _what?_ Did I break something...?"

The freckled girl behind her giggled. "_Nope_. You're gonna learn how to dance."

"Oh, okay, sure..." She nodded distractedly and took a bite of the pastry, only to suddenly jerk and choke. "_What?!_"

Beaming, Anna snatched the pastry from her grasp and shoved her over to Elsa. "Yep. Elsa doesn't know how to dance, _you_ don't know how to dance... Two birds with one stone!" She chirped, laughing as the pelt-covered girl staggered and stumbled to keep from crashing into the queen. "Now go get 'em, tiger!"

Ylva blushed lightly as she looked to Elsa, turning back to Anna with an unamused look. "First of all, as a person raised by _wild dogs_, calling me a cat is a _severe_ insult, now matter how big or awesome that cat may be. Secondly, I don't even need to know how to dance! I'm a hunter, a _fur trader_. I'm going to be an apprentice to a _blacksmith_. I don't need to dance. Ever."

"_Well_, fine," Anna gave a sly smile, turning to the side and watching her from the corner of her eye. "I guess, if you don't want to do Elsa this _one_ little favor... I figured you might want to, since she'd be _way_ more comfortable dancing with you, rather than Shorty McShortington, over there..."

"_I say_," The instructor huffed, fighting off a smile of amusement as her puffed up his chest, clearly already having a history with the redhead. "It is _Mister_ Shorty to you, princess Anna."

The hooded girl grimaced, shoulders dropping as she turned to the queen, giving a timid smile. "Erm... If you don't mind that I'm _really bad_..."

"You can't be much worse than me," She confessed, heaving a sigh. "I'm afraid I'm rather... _lacking_, when it comes to social skills like these..."

Mister Shorty simply humphed and grabbed a cane, rapping Ylva on the arm. "Now, then. Bow to your partner."

She hesitated. "Like, just _bow?_ Why...?"

"_Tradition_." He answered shortly, raising a plucked brow as he hit her on the arm again, this time a little harder. "Now bow." Sending a shrug to her partner, the girl dropped to her knee and bowed her head, only to yelp at the hard smack of the cane against her forearm as the man screeched. "_Not like that_, you fustilarian!"

Her arms raised in exasperation, and Elsa bit her lip to keep from scolding the instructor. "You didn't tell me _how_ to bow, just to bow! What do you want me to do?!"

With an impatient huff, he got besides her and put his booted feet together, legs straight as he swooped down, on hand on his belly as the other swooped behind him. When he raised again, he looked at her with a condescending expression. "This should be common knowledge, you know."

"For you, maybe," She paused for a moment before mimicking the action perfectly, looking up and sticking out her tongue mid-bow, "But not for me... I was raised by wild dogs."

He made a face. "I _do_ hope you are joking..."

"Nope." She gave a cheeky smile, dryness heavy in her tone as she watched the man besides her, still smiling as she told him, "And if you hit me with that stick again, I'm going to _snap it in two_."

He sniffed. "Is that a challenge?"

Ylva stopped and stared for a moment before turning to the blonde, lips twitching. "He's asking for it..."

The blonde tried not to giggle as she lifted her hand to cover her smile. "_Don't_."

She gestured to the little man with a huff. "_He started it!_"

"And you can finish it... _when we're done_."

The man gave a smirk. "Yes... _when we're done_. And with your... _grace_, who knows how long that could take."

Ylva's head dropped back as a loud groan of complaint left her lips. "Oh, gods..."

"_You two have fun!~_" Anna sang as she skipped out.

* * *

A sharp whine left the hooded girl as she turned, one hand on the fair queen's hip and the other holding her hand. She dropped her head on Elsa's shoulder in exhaustion, biting back a yelp as that damned cane smacked against the back of her leg.

"You may do that during the _actual_ ball, but not now!" The instructor barked. "Now, you _learn_."

"I hate this..."

Another rap. "Be more positive."

Ylva ground her teeth together to keep from biting out an insult, spitting between clenched teeth, voice full of obvious, blatantly clear sarcasm, "_I love this_."

The instructor harrumphed. "Sarcasm is unbecoming of you, you brute..."

"If I'm a brute," She began with a huff, flashing a quick smile at Elsa to assure her that she wasn't _quite_ as miserable as she acted, before continuing, "Why does it matter if I'm unbecoming or not?"

"Because you are in the presence of not only royalty, _but the queen_, maybe?"

Ylva grunted, glancing down to check her footing before looking back up to her partner. "No... Elsa likes me no matter how unbecoming I am, right...?"

Without missing a beat, the queen smiled. "_But of course_. How could I not? It's a part of your charm."

"Oh yes," The man snorted. "Her rabid, barbaric charm..."

The short instructor fell silent as he watched the two waltz, all but praying for an excuse to strike the rude girl again. It had become sort of a game, at that point. He looked for an excuse to hit her, just as she looked for a reason to make a sarcastic, biting comment or retort.

However, he found none, as Elsa had expected. The pelt-covered girl had learned quickly and efficiently to avoid getting struck and, she suspected, to give the instructor a smug look when she passed. As a matter of fact, she was quite certain that it was solely for the latter...

When they came to the last steps and pulled away to bow to each other, the squat man harrumphed. "Well... I suppose that even my _own_ talents surprise me, sometimes... You two are taught." As soon as he said that, Ylva immediately straightened, a smirk curling at her lips as she stepped ominously towards the man, making him break into a sweat as he backed away and cried out. "_Your majesty!_"

"You challenged me," Ylva growled, posture lowering and becoming animalistic as she backed him in a corner. "Well... _challenge accepted_."

A high-pitched shriek came from the man, and a loud _crack!_ came from the corner.

The moment Elsa started to be concerned, however, the hooded girl stepped back, holding one half of the broken cane in each hand. The girl then snapped those pieces before going to the window, opening it, and promptly tossing the splintered cane out the window.

A laugh escaped the blonde as Ylva wiped off her hands and turned to glare at the instructor. "Next time, I'm going to set the damn thing on fire. And then, I will take the ashes and throw them in the nearest, freshest pile of dung I can find. Now please, remove your _foul presence_ from the room before I remove it for you."

The man simply snorted as his lips twitched up, strolling towards the door. "Beg your pardon, ma'am, but the only foul presence in this room is _you_."

"I _do not_ beg your pardon, ma'am," She shot back lightly, smirk tugging at her mouth as she told him, "But the _foulest_ presence, would be your mother."

"_Correction_." The instructor stopped at the door and whirled on his heel. "The foulest presence would be _your_ mother."

"_I don't have a mother_."

She smirked as his face fell. He opened his mouth to retort, only to falter and harrumph. "_You win this round_, fustilarian..."

Once he stepped out of the room, Elsa, face red from having been holding it in, burst into a fit of laughter, laughing even harder as the hooded girl gave a cheeky grin. "_I can't believe you actually did that!_"

"You'd _better_ believe it! The jerk had it coming..." She pouted playfully, rubbing her arm. "At least he had the decency not to hit my bite..."

The girl winced as she rolled up her sleeve, and Elsa's face quickly fell as she rushed over.

Long, purplish bruises marred the tanned skin. _She hadn't thought he'd hit her that hard_...

The queen's expression turned dark, and cold began to grow on the tips of her fingers. It was a good thing she'd kept the gloves on...

All but panicking, the girl frowned. "Hey, hey, _hey_," She leaned in close and rested her chin on the taller's shoulder. "It's okay, it doesn't really hurt! I just bruise easy! Come on, I hunt _bears_ for a living! I'm going to an apprenticeship with the blacksmith! I sleep in the forest... These little things aren't even worthy to be called the _babies_ of what I used to get..."

"_Ylva_."

She made a face from under the shadow of her hood. "Don't _Ylva_ me! You need to-" Her breath hitched into a gasp as she straightened up, an idea clearly striking her as she snapped her fingers. "_Calm down..._" Slouching down low, Ylva bowed her head and took the queen's still-gloved hands, eying the gloves with distaste before pulling them off and throwing them off to the side. Once the gloves were gone, she promptly dropped the pale hands on top of the wolf's head sitting on her brow and leaned against the taller. "_Pet me_."

Despite herself, her brows raised and her frown lessened a bit. "I... _what?_"

"Rule number one, from the '_Wild Dog's Hand Guide To Life_'; when a person needs comfort, or to calm down, petting is all but an absolute _must_. Be it fur or hair, it soothes the frazzled mind of any person..." A huff left the girl. "That's why I told you to get a dog... _or_ you could get a boyfriend, but you can't make a person go fetch your slippers on command, so..." She trailed off and shrugged, leaning into the hand still on her head.

Trying to remain calm (_at least towards her thief_), she bit back a sigh. "I appreciate the thought, truly I do, but he hurt you, and I _do not_ appreciate _that_."

"_Stop being so stubborn_," The girl gave an odd noise, that started out as a short growl and ended in a whine. "Look, just pet me. If not for _you_, do it for me."

Elsa heaved a breath and ground her teeth together before finally caving. She ran her fingers through the fur and unconsciously leaned against the shorter. "That wasn't right of him. He shouldn't have hit you _at all_, much less that hard. I should have risen and told him to stop, I should have realized that he was _actually_ hurting you-" She cut off suddenly, breath hitching as her fingers turned dangerously cold, and ice began crawling up the length of her fingers...

Only to stop and quickly melt as the hooded girl grabbed her other hand, hushing her gently and nuzzling the palm of her hand. "_It's okay_... I. Fight. _Bears_. It didn't really hurt, you silly old queen, and even if it did, I'm more than capable of standing up for myself."

Her cheeks erupted in pink as she looked up to avoid looking at her, only to darken when she saw Anna grinning at her in the doorway.

Ylva tensed as the redhead took a step and whirled around, only to light up and give an easy smile as she subtly pulled her sleeve back down. "Hey, short stuff." She faltered, somehow knowing that Elsa had ceased her actions, and turned to give the blonde a look. "_I didn't tell you to stop_."

As the queen flushed and continued to stroke her fur-covered neck, Anna bit back giggles. "What's going on in here...?" She paused and glared playfully. "And I'm not that short!"

"Yes, you are," She quipped instantly, breathing a laugh as the princess pouted lightly. "And we just finished up learning how to dance."

Brightening up considerably, the redhead bounced in place. "And you did, right? _Learn?_"

"Unfortunately," The pelt-covered girl slumped a bit. "I did."

"_Awesome_." Anna straightened up, calling, "Gerda! Come and do your thing!"

And just like that, a portly woman came rushing in towards Ylva, a tape measure in hand. In a flurry of limbs, the girl was turned, flipped, and measured, all before she could even utter a cry of surprise. When woman seemed to be done, she nodded and hurried back out, muttering to herself all the while.

Ylva had a dazed look. "_What just happened_...?"

The freckled girl gave a too-innocent smile. "Nothing."

Elsa shot her younger sister a look as she warned lightly, "_Anna_..."

"I didn't do anything!" She chirped, giggling at the blonde's suspicious look. "The ball is tomorrow, so it's not like I could plan anything even if I _wanted_ to."

It was a valid point, but Elsa couldn't help but still feel a bit uneasy. "Very well... I suppose I should retire for the night..."

"Wait!" Ylva jumped up a bit and grabbed her arm. Once the blonde had stopped and looked at her expectantly, the shorter dropped her head against her shoulder and nuzzled the thin material of her sleeve. "Seriously... I'm fine, don't stress over this, okay?"

She faltered. "I'm not..." Imagining a raised brow under the wolf's snout, Elsa flushed and looked off to the side. "You... you need to stop that. How can you always tell...?" A smirk crossed the tanned face, and she rolled her eyes. "On second thought, _I already know what you're going to say_. Very carefully, right?"

A bark of laughter left the pelt-covered girl, and she grinned. "See? You're learning already!" Turning to the still-open window, she walked over and put her hands on the windowsill. "Not that I thought you wouldn't, of course..." With a small grunt, she hopped over the edge and stood precariously an the sloped roof. "Anyways, I'm off to Gunnar's; we have to sharpen up some blades."

"_Don't forget!_" Anna called to the girl hopping out the window, linking her arm with Elsa's and lightly pulling her along. "Don't you dare forget and be a no-show!"

Ylva's reply was so distant it could only faintly be heard. "_I won't!_"

With a curt nod, the redhead turned to her elder sister and smiled. "So... how did the dancing lesson go?"

"You're planning something." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. Because she knew Anna was... she just needed to know what.

"_Never!_" She pretended to act upset, smile twitching at her lips.

"Anna..."

The redhead simply smiled and put her head on the taller's shoulder. "Let's go raid the kitchen for cookies..."

Elsa sighed but nodded and let herself be led. _The things she put with_...

* * *

**Author's note~**

**Shortshortshort- Gosh this is short! I'm sorry, it's not even that _good_, but good news! SHITS 'BOUT TO GO DOWN. And when shit goes down, shit goes _down_. You'll see what I mean.  
**

**Hope this wasn't _too_ bad! I was rushing in between throwing little bits in here and there, while also keeping an eye out for my extremely nosy mom and brother. Also, kiddies, abusing other people as a teaching method is wrong. Don't do that.**

**Please try to bear with me guys ********ʕ´ᴥ`ʔ**  


**********, _Blue_**


	8. Chapter 8

The hum of idle chatter filled her ears. The bright lights. The loud music. The obnoxiously loud princes and kings trying to gain her attention...

Quite frankly, it all gave Elsa a headache.

But still she kept a pleasant smile as she stood, overlooking the ball and trying to ignore one prince that particularly vied for her attention as she idly talked to Anna, who appeared to be looking for someone.

"And _then_," The persistent prince, tall and fair, continued,"The bear slashed at me with his razor-sharp claws! Me and my team of four fought for hours, ducking and dodging, before we felled the mighty thing..."

Anna sent her sibling a knowing look, giggling at the exasperated look she got in return before sweeping her eyes around the ballroom for the hundredth time.

Elsa glanced down at herself. Her dress mirrored the one she had worn on her coronation night, but with a white torso and light blue (ice, but she dared not tell anyone as Gerda was adamant about wearing _actual_ cloth during the ball) sleeves. Her hair was back up in the neat bun she had worn on her coronation day, and a new crown sat in the braid wrapped around her head.

And no gloves. Anna had been firm in that decision...

She had wanted the gloves, _just as a precaution_. As more of a comfort to the guests than anything. But again, Anna had been hell-bent and determined to keep her from wearing gloves; even going as far as to hunt down and hide them...

Well, she had actually said that she'd burned them and then buried the remains in a place she would never find, but Elsa was hoping that she was merely bluffing.

Taking a deep breath to try and calm her nerves, she eyed the _still-talking_ prince with mild irritation. It was one thing to ramble when nervous, like Anna and Ylva did, but he was talking simply to hear himself talk. Telling stories of bravado that actually weren't all that impressive...

Although... perhaps they really were. Perhaps she had merely been surrounded by extraordinary people.

But whether the fact was true or not, he told his stories rather dully... Perhaps Ylva had merely spoiled her with her animated, descriptive storytelling, but she just found him extremely unimpressive, no matter how she tried to look at it.

So deep she was in her musings, that she barely even noticed when the nuisance of a prince choked on his own words and Anna lit up with a bright smile. She didn't notice when a large group of party-goers (the ones who happened to be on her side of the ballroom) suddenly went quiet with a varied mix fear, confusion, and awe. She didn't notice the low thump of boot-clad feet besides her.

It wasn't until Anna cleared her throat and spoke up did she snap out of her thoughts. "Attention! Everyone... I would like to be the first to formally introduce our - _the queen's_, new lieutenant of the queen's royal guard: Ylva Wild-Born."

Her head immediately snapped up, eyes scouring the crowd until she realized that all eyes were on her. More specifically, they were on the empty spot besides her.

Following the stares, she nearly leapt out of her skin when she saw who was standing besides her. A choked whisper, that went unheard by anyone other than who it was directed to, left her lips. "_Ylva_..."

The girl gave a small smile in response, but didn't turn her head from surveying the crowd. Elsa tried not to stare, but she was quite sure she was failing...

Ylva looked... different. That was for sure. For the first time, she had the hood lifted high enough to see her face. A fresh, still-reddish scrape showed on her chin and a small cut peeking out from under the hood on her temple. Her face wasn't as rounded as the other women in the ball, longer and more defined; with faint scars showing on her bronzed skin, and she had a bump on the bridge of her nose from being broken a couple of times.

A large eye patch sat upon her face, black with a gold crocus, and pink scars peeked out from the bottom. _Well_... she supposed that her thief really had not been lying when she had said she had a scar...

And she was in a suit...? Similar to one of the many that her father had worn; with a navy blue, almost teal coat and a lighter sash across her torso, a silver medal of some sort pinned to it. A flash of color, purple, rested just under the collar or her undershirt and was tucked into the crevice between her undershirt and overshirt. White pants were tucked into knee-high, black leather boots. It even looked as though she had washed her wolf pelt and combed it's fur!

The one, major thing Elsa noticed, was that the clothes all fit her _perfectly_. It hugged curves that Elsa hadn't even know were there, and everything fit and fell in just the right place...

The blonde turned to give Anna a look, raising a single brow in question, and the redhead simply beamed back at her before returning to continue addressing the crowd.

Taking a deep breath, Elsa turned to look back at her friend. She briefly noted that a sword, _her_ sword, the one she had spent a good week making with her blacksmith friend, was tied to her belt. Black leather-covered hands twitched before folding behind her back as the usually shorter, but now _just_ taller (thanks to the boots) shifted with unease.

Elsa figured she would give her a pleading look but, thanks to the eyepatch, couldn't without giving it away. But even so, she was impressed. The girl was standing up straight, holding herself with an air that demanded respect as she stood with all the grace and dignity of an army's commander.

Anna finally finished and gestured to Ylva, who gave a wry smile and stooped down low in a bow as polite clapping and cheers filled the air.

Once a majority of the room's attention went elsewhere, the girl's shoulders fell and she heaved a sigh as she continued to look forward."Okay, I got in this monkey suit, I put up with all these snooty people staring at me, I wasn't a no-show; _can I go_, now?"

Anna simply cackled, "_Nope_." Before bouncing off into the sea of people.

Elsa turned to look at Ylva, who merely took another deep breath before turning fully to look at her.

And the two _choked on air_ as they met each others eyes. Elsa from seeing her, _all of her_ (except for the part covered by her eyepatch) for the first time... She had sunken eyes, casting a natural shadow over them, as well as dark, almost purple shadows from a lack of sleep, but her eyes... they were the warmest, kindest, _brightest_ shade of brown she had ever seen. And just like that, all the scars, the shadows under her eyes, they all seemed to disappear in the light of her eyes.

Ylva flushed as she stared, eyes wide as her hands twitched. "Wow... you look really... _different_." She faltered, quickly adding, "And I don't mean that in a bad way! I meant that you look great!" She turned darker. "I mean, you _always_ look great - _it actually kind of makes me mad at times_ because even when you first wake up you look fantastic, but I'm just saying you look great in a _different_ way and _I'm going to stop_..." Her voice had gone quieter and quieter until it was barely audible, and Elsa smiled.

The hooded girl made a strangled noise and lifted a gloved hand to tangle it in the fur on her hood, only to remember that she was at a formal ball and let her hand drop to her side limply. "_Gods_, you're killing me..."

She quirked a brow, smile steadily growing wider. "How so...?"

"You do that little half-smile thing, and I don't think you realize how much that makes me want to hug you because of how adorable it is..." Giving a wry smile, she added, "And according to Anna, I'm the lieutenant of your royal guard, so I can't really do that right now, can I?"

Cheeks turning rosy as she giggled into her hand, Elsa told her lightly, "If you truly wish to, I would not be upset."

"I know you wouldn't." Ylva glanced back at the full ballroom before looking back at her. "But still... Anna went through all the trouble of giving me a back story and an excuse to be here; we might as well try a _little_ to keep up the facade."

"That's another thing," The blonde began, "You didn't - you _don't_ need a facade to be here. You are my friend. If you wish to be here, no matter how important or formal the matter is, you may. I _am_ the queen... if I wish for you to be here, there is not a soul that can tell me otherwise."

A laugh left the pelt-covered girl. "_Political favors_... And, you know, some might say that that is an abuse of your powers, _your majesty._"

She smiled back and quirked a brow. "Do you?"

"Nope," She said, popping the 'p'. "I don't. I'm simply grateful that I amuse you enough that you're willing to keep me around, even though I risk embarrassing you."

"Then I don't care what they say." Elsa paused, turning to the girl at her side and saying gently, "And you can never embarrass me. I'm very proud to call you my friend."

Ylva tensed up for a moment, voice audibly catching in her throat as her head bowed a bit. Just as she had started to be concerned that she had said the wrong thing somehow, the hooded girl looked back at her with an eye that looked a bit glassy. "You... _you're amazing_."

Her head jerked back as her cheeks flushed. "I... what...?"

"_You're amazing_." Ylva straightened up, a small but warm smile on her face. "I owe you so much... You're kind and _so smart_, and you always make time for me and Anna even though you have so many responsibilities as the queen; you're patient and caring and _everything a good ruler should be_. Even though you're so young, you're doing _so well_ running this kingdom. The fact that you _run a kingdom_ but are still able to be an amazing sister to Anna and take the time to walk around Arendelle almost everyday and teach me how to read is incredible. _You_ are incredible." She blushed a bit as she looked back out at the crowd. "I just want you to know that... You don't seem to think that you are, but you should. You're a genuinely outstanding person... _thank you_."

Elsa hadn't even known her face could _get_ this warm... She dropped her head down as she blushed, unconsciously hugging herself. "You truly think so highly of me...?"

"I truly do." She gave a curt nod, still overlooking the ball. "You accept all my little quirks and dog habits, even though they can be a little strange, and you really don't know how much that means to me... _I know I'm strange_. I always was, even out in the wild. The wild dogs are a little wary of me because I'm a human, and the people think me mad because, well, _I was raised by dogs_. But you accept and support me. So thank you... there's really nothing I can do to properly show you how grateful I am, and for that, I'm sorry... I really, honestly have done nothing to deserve you, but I am _so glad_ that I have you, regardless."

_She was really glad that no one was looking over_, especially Ylva, because she was about to cry...

Ylva had so much unwavering faith and affection for her. She knew the queen had a secret, and a big one at that, yet didn't ask what it was. She respected her decisions and seemed to always worry that she was a bother and always knew when Elsa needed a hug even when she herself didn't.

And there was just an _onslaught_ of emotions. She was sympathetic for her friend, and a bit guilty from hiding her secret but not regretful, and absolutely ecstatic that another person other than Anna could hold her in such high esteem. She didn't know what to do or how to react; for how could she? How could she know how to react to this after being isolated for a majority of her life...? And, quite frankly, Ylva probably didn't know, either...

So it was a huge relief when Ylva suddenly sniggered and grinned, leaning over to the queen while trying to stifle giggles. "_Psst!_ Do you see that one guy...? Look at his mustache... _majestic_."

The blonde didn't even see the man she was talking about but still she laughed, because the hooded girl just _always_ seemed to find a way to stop a potentially awkward or tense moment.

* * *

Ylva heaved a breath as she watched the people dance, her one visible eye flicking to and fro. She leaned over a bit and pointed to one of the men, a large man who seemed to lag in the dance a bit. "Do you see him? He's an old warrior."

The blonde gave a small smile and quirked a brow as she studied the man. "How can you tell...?"

"_He limps_." She said simply. She nearly left it at that, but at Elsa's light nudge, breathed a laugh before explaining. "He limps, and he's aware that he does, but he still holds himself with pride. There's a certain... _air_ to warriors. I'm afraid I can't explain much more than that... you simply come to know."

She hummed. "Yes, I suppose you're right..." A sly smile crossed her face. "Do you wish to know how _I_ knew...?"

The girl jerked, giving her a bewildered look. "You already knew?"

"I did." Laughing into her hand, she nodded back in the direction of the man. "I could tell by his medals. He's a commander from Corona."

She flushed and raised her arms in defeat. "If you know, then why did you ask me to tell you what I knew about these people?"

"Because I wish to know if you really are always right when it comes to reading people," Gesturing around the room, she said lightly, "So far... _you are_. And you just never fail to impress me..."

A laugh left her thief. "_Sure, sure_..." With a wry smile, she turned back to the dancing people before perking up. "Hey... do you want to dance...?"

"_Dance?_" A brow raised.

"Yeah," Ylva shrugged. "We both learned how to do it, and it _is_ your ball... It was kind of fun, when Shorty McShortington wasn't whacking me with his damnedable cane. I'd like to try it at least once without the guy breathing down my neck, ready to beat me at a moment's hesitation."

The blonde made a face. "I still need to have a little chat with him about that..."

"No, no, no," Shaking her head, she huffed. "We're not doing this again, _not here_, not now. Come on, we're dancing." The hooded girl held out an arm for her to grab, which Elsa did with a little hesitation, mindful of her powers.

"It wasn't right."

With another shrug, she strolled to the dance floor with Elsa in tow. "Maybe it wasn't, but I _don't mind_." Flashing a smile, she parted and cocked her head to the side. "Now... might I have this dance, my queen?"

A breath of laughter left the blonde, and she curtsied while teasing, "I suppose it wouldn't hurt, since we're already in the middle of the dance floor..."

Bowing low, Ylva flashed her a goofy grin as she straightened and stepped closer.

As the two began to waltz to the music, several stares started in their direction.

At first, the two didn't mind the attention... but as more eyes landed on them Ylva began twitching and fidgeting as her face steadily grew darker, and Elsa had to bite back a smile as the hand resting on her hip grew stiff from unease. "Nervous...?"

_Not to say that Elsa wasn't_, because she most certainly was... she just knew how to hide it. Elsa, evidently, did not...

"Wh-what, who - _me?_" She gave a laugh that sounded forced, face going scarlet as she cleared her throat. "Nervous? _Who's nervous?_ Ha, certainly not me; _I don't even know what that word means!_ What does it mean again? Actually, no, don't tell me, I don't wanna know," She cleared her throat again, looking away as her voice continued to get higher and higher. "_Is it getting hot in here?_"

Trying not to giggle, the blonde quirked a brow as she smiled. "No, it's just you. You can relax, you know..."

"_I'm perfectly relaxed_. I am the _epitome_ of calmness, look at how calm I am!" A sharp whine left her as her visible eye began twitching, only visible to Elsa due to their closeness; and she cursed under her breath because apparently the whine had left her on its own accord. Caught, she added sheepishly, "Which is actually not at all..."

Lightly squeezing the hand in hers, the queen breathed a laugh. "It's okay to admit you're nervous... Just focus on me," She suggested, the corners of her eyes crinkling as she smiled at another noise of discomfort that left her thief. "Did I ever tell you that you look nice...?"

A brown eye drew back to meet her blues, and she blinked. "Uh... no, I don't think you did."

"Well, you do."

A smile tugged on the girl's lips, and her eye lingered on the queen a bit longer before looking back to meet the stares pointed at her, asking tentatively, "Do I really? Because I don't feel like I do..."

"You look great," Elsa assured her with a small laugh, adding slowly, "Although, traditionally women wear _dresses_ to balls..."

Ylva blushed and looked back at her. "Yes, I'm aware... But this was what Anna gave me, so... _I don't know_. Maybe she chose this because of our cover story...? A lieutenant wouldn't exactly be threatening in a dress, now would they...?"

"Perhaps not, no..." She paused for a bit, saying gently as they turned in step with the music, "Either way, you're beautiful."

The pelt-covered girl nodded distractedly while eying the crowd, only to double take and give a bewildered look, eye wide. "I-_I am?_" At the blonde's nod and smile, she flushed. "_Wow_, uh... that's - you-_you, too_. But, I mean, you already know that you are; _how could you not?_ Have you seen how a lot of these people are looking at you...?"

Cheeks turning a light pink, she fidgeted. "No..."

"Well, they're looking at you like you're an angel." A wide grin crossed her face as the queen turned darker, and she laughed under her breath as the blonde struggled to recover.

"I'm-I'm not-"

Ylva's eyes rolled up to the ceiling playfully. "Kindly _shut up_," She chuckled, "You're _gorgeous_. How can you possibly try to deny it? _Why_ do you deny it...?"

_Because for the majority of her life, she had been locking herself away_; and the whole time during, her parents had helped her, coached her to conceal her powers. Because it's only been some months since she had frozen the fjord and learned how to control her powers, and thus start opening up to people around her. Because a lot of people were still a bit wary around her and tended to try to avoid talking to her. Because for the longest time she had thought herself a cursed monster. Because she had spent most of her life thinking herself as ugly as she had once thought her powers were...

But Ylva didn't know that. Ylva didn't know about her powers at all, much less how much grief it had nearly caused her...

Her friend _did_ notice that Elsa had gone quiet for a bit too long, and her smile turned less playful and more gentle. "I know you don't really believe it when I tell you, but I _am_ serious, you know..." Clearing her throat, she told her lightly, "Rule number two, from the '_Wild Dog's Hand Guide to Life_'; falsehood gets you nowhere. If you rummage through your person's garbage, own up to it right away and they won't be as angry."

A smile graced the paler's lips as she quoted teasingly, "'_If you rummage through your person's garbage_'... Are you trying to tell me something, Ylva...?"

"_No_," She made a face and stuck her tongue out. "It was just an example! The point is, _don't lie_, because they'll find out eventually, and the bigger the lie, the more upset they'll be! I'm trying to say-"

"_I know what you're trying to say_," Elsa laughed, "Thank you... And have you noticed that the music stopped quite a while ago, and that we're dancing to nothing...?"

Ylva's face dropped, and she jerked to a stop, looking around only to flush as she met several amused and bemused looks. "_Oh_." Her arms fell limply to her side. "No... no, I did not... _oops_."

* * *

Elsa tensed up, cheeks turning pink as a hand grabbed her rear, a rather unqueenly squeak leaving her.

It took _two seconds_ for her to realize that it had been that pesky prince that had been hell-bent and determined to talk her ear off...

And it didn't even take one second for Ylva to grab the much taller man by the collar drag him down to her height. The queen could suddenly see why Anna had chosen the story she did when introducing the hooded girl, because the girl suddenly looked uncharacteristically serious and it was an expression that was scary on her. Maybe it was because Elsa had gotten used to her trademark, easy-going smile, or maybe it was because she finally realized that the girl was just _naturally_ intimidating with her hooded eyes and scarred everything.

"Excuse me, sir," She said lowly, free hand trailing the the holstered sword tied to her belt. "That is extremely rude and very inappropriate. Please, use the manners that were beaten into you as a child and don't do that again. I'll not warn you again, sir..."

And then, she let go of his collar and pushed him away. It looked as though she had barely touched him, but he staggered back several feet with a bewildered look on his face.

Evidently, she was stronger than she looked...

A huff left the hooded girl as she turned to Elsa and raised a brow. "Are you okay?" Once the blonde nodded, she studied her for a few seconds before giving a satisfied nod and turning back to continue her story. "Alright, so where was I...?"

Rapunzel grinned, green eyes bright. "The bear had just caught sight of you."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," The pelt-covered girl nodded before clearing her throat. "So this bear was absolutely _livid_. It's dark brown fur was in disarray, the whites of his eyes were visible, even as far as he was. His black eyes met mine, and I could see every muscle ripple and tense, flesh and sinew in his face wrinkle and draw up as he reared up and let out a soul-shattering _roar_. He dropped back into the melting snow, his back legs tensed, and he _leapt_-_ah!_" She let out a yelp as she staggered, freckled arms wrapped around her neck.

Anna all but wailed. "Elsa, Ylva! Some creep just grabbed my butt and started flirting with me!" Both immediately tensed.

"_What?_"

"_I'll kill him_," Ylva said without hesitation, straightening up and gritting her teeth. "Was he tall, blonde, young? Had that stupid little curl...?" The redhead nodded into her fur-covered shoulder, still hugging her neck. The eyepatched girl gave Elsa a look. "I'm going to kill him."

"_Don't kill him_," She sighed, feeling just as irritated, if not more so. "Let me go have a talk with him..."

The girl laughed without humor. "Ha, no... _no_. No offense," She gave a wry smile. "But I have a sword, and you don't. I've wrestled with wolves, and you haven't. I've sparred with a bear and come up as the victor, and you _probably_ haven't... And if this ass ever hurt you..." She trailed off and gave a curt shake of her head. "No, just let me do this, please... I'm sure you could handle yourself, and there are a lot of people who would hear if you two got in a tangle, but I don't want you hurt. _Please_... this is all I can really do for you, so _let me do it_."

The queen started to protest. Really, she did... And maybe, if the girl's hood had been where it normally was so that she _couldn't see her puppy eyes_, she would have been able to stick with it, but... How was she supposed to resist that face...? How could anyone resist such expressive eyes?

Clearly seeing that the blonde was caving, Ylva sighed with relief and flashed a small smile. "_I won't hurt him_. But this _will_ be his last warning..." Putting a hand on her sword, she bowed to the princess in front her. "Please excuse me, ma'am, I have something I must take care of. I'll finish up the story later." She faltered and looked back at the royal sisters. "Or they could tell it..."

Anna immediately brightened up and dropped from where she had been hanging on the girl's shoulders. "_Yeah!_"

Chuckling at the redhead's enthusiasm, she nodded and gave another small bow. "Yeah, she's got it... She exaggerates, but you'll get the gist of it." She glanced at Elsa one more time before nodding. "I'll be right back..."

* * *

And that was how rest of the night went. The two, sometimes three, wandered about. Ylva made friends at nearly the same rate as Olaf, and by nightfall, everywhere she went, someone was asking to hear a story.

Granted, some were asking out of mockery, but if she knew then she didn't show it. And most _weren't_, so it was not like she would have time to dwell on it.

When the hooded girl had first started becoming so popular, Elsa had been a bit worried that she would be lost in the sea of people, but her friend always stuck by her side and found a bit of time for her and her alone. It made her insides flip and a smile grow on her face to know the fact...

However, throughout the night, the pesky blonde, unknown prince would try (and fail) to seduce the royal sisters. And with each time Ylva had to drag him away and warn and threaten him to not do it again, her mood subtly, gradually worsened.

Now, she hid it well... _but Elsa knew_. The little quirks that had never been there before, the twinge of the muscle in her jaw as she gritted her teeth more often, the way her hands clenched and unclenched into fists... Not to mention the fact that the girl literally bristled whenever she caught sight of the prince.

By the twelfth time he had harassed Elsa, the suited girl looked ready to pounce. A growl ripped from her throat as she stalked forward, grabbing him by the collar and _quite literally_ throwing him across the room with a strength that had far surpassed Elsa's, and everyone else's expectations.

And as the man picked himself up on the ground and Ylva turned to face her, Elsa immediately noticed that something - _everything_ was wrong with her friend.

Her posture was back in that animalistic, feral slump, as though she was ready to get on all fours and lope away. The low growl stayed in her throat as her nostrils flared, hood back low and covering the upper part of her face. For a brief moment, Elsa swore that the fur on the neck of her wolf's pelt rose and the maw curled briefly in a short snarl as she rested her hands heavily on the table, breathing in sharp pants as she trembled.

"Ylva," Elsa said as gently as she could, lightly putting a hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright...?"

A shuddery gasp for breath left her, and her head dropped lower. "_I don't know_." The growl laced her voice as she audibly struggled with... _something_.

Worry spiked in the pit of the blonde's stomach. "What is it, what's wrong?"

"I... _oh_, gods," A tremor ran over her, but she clearly fought to achieve the illusion of normalcy as she forced herself to stand a bit straighter. "I'm fine, I'm great, I'm perfect..."

And after several worry-filled seconds, it seemed that she _was_ getting better...

But then, the prince came stomping over, face bright red as he grabbed Ylva's hand and forced her to turn around to face him. "_You dare!_ You _dare_ throw me like I am some _peasant!_ I am of royal blood, and you will _never_ do that to me again lest I have you hanged!"

His slap against her cheek echoed throughout the room, quickly bringing a hushed silence as all turned to see what was going on.

Everything was still. Ylva's face was completely blank, face still turned from the impact of the slap.

A gasp left Elsa's mouth as her friend's eye suddenly flashed gold, and that was all the warning to be had before a snarl, exactly like a wolf's, left her throat, loud, shaking her to the very core.

Ylva tackled the prince to the floor, sending both of them sliding across the waxed floor, the girl snarling and growling all the while. And she _ripped into him_.

Then the blood started falling...

She wasn't sure whose it was. The prince was fighting back, but he was no match for the beast-like girl. The blonde saw the blood staining her hands, growing darker with every swipe and strike, and her heart race accelerated and she suddenly felt like _puking_ and running and screaming all at the same time.

So she ran. Elsa tore out of the ballroom, making a beeline straight to her room, her sanctuary; the place where she couldn't reach out to anyone, _but at least then nobody could get to her_.

And for the first time in forever, that sounded as good as it could get.

* * *

Anna screamed at the sight before her, and it was her scream that seemed to snap Ylva out of... _whatever she was in_...

Her head shot up, but for a brief moment, the pelt on her head almost seemed alive. It's eyes were glowing red and it's maw snarled as it glared around the room before finally melting back into its usual empty expression as Ylva blinked several times. Her one visible eye, hauntingly gold, melted back into the familiar brown.

As Ylva looked down, a sharp gasp left her. A look of horror exploded in her eye as she leapt to her feet, and Anna couldn't help but feel a bit _bad_ for the girl as she stared at her bloodied hands in terror. "_Oh no_... oh gods, what have I done?" She started to say something else, only to freeze and have her head shoot up to scour the crowd. Not finding what she had been looking for she turned to Anna, looking even more terrified than before. "Where... _where's Elsa?_"

She spoke again before Anna could answer, voice shaky. "_No_," the hooded girl shook her head, "Nevermind, I already know." Her breath hitched again as she looked at the groaning, bloody prince on the ground. Her hands shook as she moved, perhaps to help him, only to stop and tense as she breathed out, "_I'm so sorry_..."

She visibly trembled, making a noise that was a mix between a whimper and a sob as she reached up and tangled her fingers in the fur of her hood. "_It's getting worse_," Her voice was so quiet, so shaky that only Anna could hear it. "What am I gonna do...? I can't... _I gotta_... _I don't know_."

Shaking her head to herself, Ylva threw her arms down with a noise of defeat before looking back to Anna for guidance.

Honestly, a part of her wanted to tell Ylva to run away and never return, but... _no_. She just couldn't. The girl looked as shocked and scared as she was, and so _lost_. Her fear was so strong that it all but came off of her in waves, and expression was so pitiful, she just couldn't find it in her to be mad...

The redhead gave a shaky breath, holding a hand out cautiously as she neared. "I think Elsa almost had a panic attack. Maybe you should go to her... I'll stay here and handle this." Nodding vigorously, she staggered back, only to freeze as Anna called her again. "And Ylva...? You're probably gonna want to clean yourself up before you go see her..."

Looking back at her hands, what little color remained in her face drained. "I... _yeah_."

* * *

**Author's note~**

**Oh my glob you guiz, drama bomb!**

**But yeah... this is kinda overdue :| Sorry 'bout that... I kept getting ready to just submit it, but then I'd think of something and add it. I was initially gonna split this in half, but stopped halfway and just said '_screw it_'. Think of it as a late Christmas gift... like... _ugly socks from your grandma_. One of the ones where you're glad that she thought of you, but that ugly-ass purple-y brown color at the toes almost make you wanna cry because _ew_.  
**

**This was really overdue, though... I mean, between Elsa keeping her powers a secret, and then Ylvie's curse; some shit was bound to go down, probably sooner rather than later.  
**

**I hope this isn't too bad! Love you guys!**

**, _Blue_**


	9. Chapter 9

"Elsa..."

The blonde bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to ignore the broken whimper that came through her door.

"Please," She could feel a small thump against the wood from her dropping her head against the door. "Please, just open the door and let me try to explain..."

Anna's voice, soft and gentle, filtered through the door. "Just give her some time, Ylvie." Her voice, closer this time, directed at the queen curled in front the door. "Elsa? Take it easy, okay...? No one out there blames you."

Burying her face in her folded arms, she gave a muffled, "Okay..."

Ylva cried out. "_What?!_ She didn't even bother telling me to _go away_, but with you..." She trailed off, and another whimper made Elsa's hands clench into fists.

"Just wait for her to come around. This... _you_ scared her."

A sigh filtered through the door, and she heard something lightly scratch a path on the wood, making her shudder involuntarily. After that, it went quiet for a while before she heard another, more distant sigh and a single pair of footsteps walk away.

A shudder ran through her as the image of ruby blood flashed before her eyes. An echo of a snarl, two glowing eyes that should have been _dead_ glaring into hers, the wolf head's lip curling in a snarl...

She shook her head vigorously, trying to clear the image from her mind.

Looking around, she bit back a sigh. She had accidentally iced her room... a circle of jagged spikes surrounded her, facing outwards in an unconscious desire to protect herself... She knew she would have to do away with it later, but not yet... _it actually did make her feel a bit safer_...

And that was exactly what she wanted, right now. She could almost feel the warmth of the body undoubtedly in front of her door, from Ylva. Maybe it was just her imagination, but she could feel breathing through the door.

Another flash of red assaulted her sight, and she shivered.

It wasn't until a soft, near-broken voice broke her from her thoughts, did she snap out of it. "Elsa. You know that... _that wasn't me_. Please, you _know_ me... I wouldn't ever hurt someone-"

"It doesn't matter whether you would or wouldn't hurt someone, because you _did!_" The woman finally barked, anger flashing as ice crawled along the her floor from her feet. "What you did was inexcusable!" Ylva's low whine did nothing to quell the queen's turmoiling emotions. "I know he was touching me inappropriately, I know you had warned him, _several times_, in fact, but you-!" Her voice caught in her throat. "It was like something just snapped... and you became a _monster_..."

"Maybe," Elsa continued with some difficulty, "Perhaps you should leave...?"

It went silent on the other side of the door... then she heard and felt Ylva slam against the door. "_No, no, no_, don't say that! You're one of my best-one of my favorite people, you can't! Elsa-_Elsa_, I'm not-!" Her voice cracked. "I... maybe I am..." Her voice sounded so weak, so _defeated_, that it made the blonde sit up and strain to hear better. "I don't know what I am anymore. I used to think that it-this-the _curse_ only made me _look_ like..." A strangled sob cut her sentence. "Look, just let me in, please... I'll tell you everything, okay...? No more secrets. No more avoiding the full truth... I never liked doing it, anyway, not like this..."

Elsa froze and sat up. Was she willing to push aside her own fear in hopes of learning why her thief always went to such great lengths to hide...? Did she really _want_ to?_  
_

_Yes_...

When Elsa melted the ice in her room and opened the door, Ylva fell to the floor and onto her back. But when she leapt up and moved to hug the blonde, she jerked back. "_Don't touch me!_" Quickly realizing how harsh that had sounded, her voice lowered a bit as she hugged herself. "I have not yet forgiven you; and I may not forgive you at _all_. I'm merely giving you a chance, that is _it_."

A hurt look crossed the girl's face, but she bit her lip and nodded, stepping around her and pacing the length of her room. "Yeah, that's... understandable, I suppose. Okay, I... where do I start...?"

"You spoke of a curse."

Ylva grimaced but nodded, a small whine escaping her as she shoved her hands in her pockets. "Right. I... Do you remember that story I told you, after the second time we met...?"

"The one where you told the story behind your cloak, yes." Elsa eyed her cautiously. "Why?"

"Well," She gave a forced laugh, "The thing about my little stories is that they _aren't really stories_. They're recollections of the past; everything I say is underlined with _truth_... So when I said that the wolf cursed me with his dying breath, I was serious..."

"Or you are just crazy..."

Ylva looked like she was about to start laughing and crying at the same time. "That's also very possible... It was the isolation, I think, right after mawwi died... Almost three years had passed before I had dared even step _towards_ someone I could communicate with... I think that's why I've always been drawn to you." She gave a shaky, half-hearted smile. "You've felt it; the _loneliness_, willingly hiding yourself away, same as I have..."

Elsa felt her resolve begin to crack as the girl began to tremble, but did her best to shoo her pity away. "_Focus_. You were talking about the curse...?"

"Yes, yes, you'll have to forgive me," Wringing her gloved hands, she heaved a breath. "Force of habit, to try and avoid talking about it, even if it means I have to try and fish for pity." Another deep breath as she turned and continued to pace. "I hadn't known at first, understand, about the curse... I had thought him," She motioned to the hood resting upon her brow, "Delirious from blood loss. But later, when I went to see a recent acquaintance of mine at the time, a traveling trader..." A laugh, cold and mocking, left her. "Well... _I found out what he had meant_, when he said I would be seen as a monster among men..."

"I had thought it was just something that affects the _outside_," She continued weakly, stopping her pacing as she came to face the wall, shoulders raising as she slumped. "I thought that I had found a loophole, that I would still be able to..." She faltered, and another short whimper left her. "_But it's getting worse_. That - _this_ has never happened before. It's never... _done_ anything like this. When he slapped me, I just... everything went black, but then I heard Anna scream, and suddenly I was on someone and there was _so much blood_..." Her hands went up to the hood, tangling in the fur as her breath hitched and she began to hyperventilate as she recalled what had happened. "And there was a voice, _his_ voice, and he was telling me, _screaming_ for me to end him and drink the blood of my prey because it would be so _easy_; but I didn't _want_ to and you weren't there, and when I realized that you were probably really scared and that I had to find you he just _stopped_."

Elsa stared wide-eyed, internally battling with herself on whether to hold her friend in her arms because she _knew_ the uncertainty and fear that she was experiencing; or to run...

Ylva gave a shuddery breath, realization of just what she had nearly done finally dawning on her. "_Oh gods_... what's happening to me...? _I almost killed someone_..."

* * *

As the queen had quickly realized, Ylva knew about as much about the curse as she did. And what had happened at the ball had scared the hooded girl as much as, if not more than it had frightened her.

And she didn't know that just because that was how the next hour and a half went; with the girl standing on the bridge of full-blown panic, and Elsa having to ease her back to reality every time the back of her feet began to inch off of the edge while also fighting to keep the temperature in the room from dropping.

Ylva had been hyperventilating for half of the two hours... Now though, she was curled in a ball against her bed. She had _long_ ago ripped her cloak off, but Elsa was too preoccupied to _really_ look; dancing between backing away from fear or going closer to try and comfort the obviously distraught girl.

Was she still scared...? _Absolutely_. But so was Ylva, who, unlike her, had never learned to hide it or even react to it. _Someone_ had to stay relatively calm as the storm rumbled and roared in their faces; and at the moment, she supposed that that person had to be her...

Recently, Ylva had taken to shielding her head with her arms and mumbling to herself while she rocked herself back and forth; trying (and slowly but steadily failing) to convince herself that she wasn't a monster, Elsa had gathered.

Her voice was just so quiet, so _afraid_, and Elsa made up her mind. She took a step towards the visibly trembling girl. "Ylva... let me see."

The hooded girl jerked, shrinking away. Elsa had a feeling that if she had been standing, she would have taken several steps back. "No, _no_. I... I _can't_."

Keeping her voice as gentle as she could while her heart hammered away at her chest, the blonde took another step, reminding herself to _keep her powers under control_... Things were hectic enough as they were; mentioning her powers might become the thing that finally makes Ylva crack under the pressure and anxiety, and jump out the window in a frenzied attempt to escape. And Elsa didn't use the window as a doorway like the shorter girl often did, so that would most likely result in injury when she would go after her... "You _can_. Prove to me that what happened back there _wasn't you_."

"_What if it was?_" She whimpered, looking back down at her hands. "What if you were right? What if I really _am_ crazy, and this is all an excuse for me to let the beast out?" A sharp whine left her, and she slumped, grabbing her head in her hands. "You didn't hear him... what if I had _listened?_ What if he wasn't _he_ at all, but just the me I've been trying to hold back...?"

Pushing back her own fear, she held her hands out, as one would do to calm a panicking horse. "_I'm real_. Right here, right now. If nothing else, I can tell you for sure."

"What if I hurt you?" Swallowing thickly, she eyed the door behind her. "I don't want to hurt _anyone_, much less, you..."

"Then you won't." Was she really certain of that..? _No_, not really, but she had a feeling that telling the girl that was falling deeper and deeper into panic wouldn't help the situation...

"_You're already scared of me_." Ylva shrunk even more as the blonde slowly, steadily got closer. "I don't want to lose you."

"You _won't_."

Her mouth opened to protest, only to snap shut again as she straightened up a bit, posture still slumped and voice defeated. "I will... because _this is what happens_. Things get decent, _good_ even, but then..." She shook her head, "Don't ask me to do this. _Don't ask me to do this_."

Elsa studied her, watching for any signs that the girl would bolt. "Let me ask you something... What is more important to you...? Me or keeping a secret?"

"_You_, of course, but-" Her breath caught in her throat. "_Oh_... I see what you did there."

As the suited girl turned to look longingly out the window, the queen added firmly. "Don't you _dare_ think about jumping out the window, because I _will_ jump after you..."

"_Shit_." She ground her teeth together, staring at the floor. A ragged breath left her as dragged herself to her feet, and she turned her back on her. "I knew this couldn't last forever... I _wanted_ it to, but I knew..." Her arms hung limply at her sides, but still, they trembled. "Don't get me wrong, please, you _do_ deserve to know... I should have told you all of this a long time ago, and maybe this could have been avoided... or, at the very least, handled better."

Tugging the eyepatch off and dropping it to the floor, Ylva began brushing her inky black hair away from her face. _Stalling_, Elsa figured, but she was also _oozing_ nervousness and fear, so she figured she could let it go...

"You may not believe me after you see and run me out of the place, but... _I'm going to miss you_. You, and Anna, and everyone else here... _This was fun_. Probably the most fun I've had, since..." She trailed off, and Elsa could almost _hear_ the sheepish look that was undoubtedly on her face as she breathed a laugh. "Actually, I don't think I've _ever_ had this much fun. Wolf attacks, Shorty Mcshortington raps, prince slaps, and all..."

After a few tense seconds, when Ylva turned to look at her, her breath caught in her throat. Fear flooded her as the previously hidden-away eye bored into hers.

Three still-pink scars marred over her right eye. All of the scars cut into her eyebrow, having gotten dangerously close to damaging her eye, and the one closest to her temple had just chopped the very end of her brow. The other two were much deeper, and left indents in the skin of her brow. Once again, Ylva had proved that she _really_ hadn't been lying when she had said that it was a nasty scar... It had to have been excruciatingly painful, and a brief thought in the back of her mind reminded her that she had to go through it _alone_.

But the larger part of her mind was petrified becauseit - her eye - was unnatural, bordering on _demonic_, even...

Her right eye glowed, a haunting gold orb in a sea of pitch blackness, and a single pinprick of darkness in the circle of gold.

_Yes_, it scared her... It looked like something out of a nightmare, only she was wide awake.

But then... then she took a step back. And she stopped looking at that single detail and started looking at the whole picture.

Everything about Ylva, from the way she stood to the way she only just barely dared to meet her eyes. There was no fear, just... _acceptance_. Sadness. Shame...

Ylva looked at her like an abused dog would look at its owner. Like she was fully expecting to struck and yelled at; ashamed of something that she couldn't help. Ready to bolt, _wanting_ to bolt, but at the same time... not. Elsa could see it in her eyes. Not a shred of hope, but she still couldn't find it in her to get and start running even though she knew she should have...

It occurred to Elsa that her eyes were easier to read than a book... Not even an inkling of bad intent stood in those mismatched eyes... and the full effect of her mournful expression struck her. It chased away any lingering fears, steeled her nerves enough to make move towards her.

That look... it reflected how she used to feel near _every day_ for far too many years... That was the look that made her heart clench almost painfully, and draw the girl into a hug. Ylva tensed in her arms before melting into the hug, burying her face into Elsa's cool neck as the blonde began lightly stroking her hair. "It's okay..."

"I thought..." She quavered. "I thought you were gonna... gonna hurt me like _they_ did. Call me an abomination. Chase me from the castle... chase me from the _kingdom_..."

Arms tightening around her, the queen asked slowly, "That has happened before...?"

"I've never gotten as close to them, _any_ of them," Nuzzling the crook of her neck, she gave a shuddery breath. "Never had so much to lose... but yes, it has... _every time ended the same_. Except for this one."

Feeling the suited girl smile against her neck, she nearly jumped when she felt _wetness_. "Ylva, are you crying...?"

"_Only a little_." A quiet sniffle left her, and her laugh was very nearly a _sob_. "Sorry... Like I said, no one's ever seen and actually _accepted_ me before," Her voice cracked. "It's a bit overwhelming... I thought for sure you would attack me, or _scream_ at the very least... hate me like everyone else did."

Elsa gave a small smile and lightly squeezed her. "At this point, I _seriously_ do not think I could ever truly hate you..."

* * *

**Author's note~**

**Something about this one chapter just PISSES ME OFF. It's just bad. All around. SOrry, _jc_ this is not good. Blegh... but we gotta get it out of the way, and then some more fluff before we start getting back into the plot because I just reread Frozen Fractals anD I SHOULDN'T HAvE. I WASN'T READY TO GO THROUGH THE PAIN AGAIn JEsus FUCK.  
**

**GLOB. If you wanna read some REAL quality writing, look that shit up, if you haven't already. You will sob all over the place. Unless you don't like Elsa/Anna... but I mean, we're all already going to hell anyways for gay shipping, so *shrugs* might as well try to one up each other's sins when we're swapping stories in the fires of hellelel, you feel me?  
**

**Also, would anyone be against or for me upping the rating on this...? Because I'm kinda considering writing up some smut at some point around the ending...? I mean, _shit_, it's probably gonna be bad, but *shrugs again* Like I said. When I meet people in hell, I wanna be like '_whaddup homie, I did more than write fluffy gay stories while my super Christian grannie chilled out behind me obliviously_.' And speakin' of my grannie, if I ever disappear for more than two weeks, I probably got caught writing this. So yeah...**

**I legitly hope this wasn't _too_ bad... I tried, yo, I really did, it just didn't work out :I Iiii suck, I know. Damnit... i'll fix it later, maybe, if I remember but I'm flippin' tired guiz. Forgive this piece of shite writer, yo.  
**

**, _Blue_**


	10. Chapter 10

"_Elsa_... _hey_, are you awake...?"

The woman peeked up groggily, face still buried in her pillow, expecting Anna, only to have her heart stop as she realized that a wolf was staring her in the face. It took a few seconds to realize that there was a face grinning at her from the shadows of its snout, but when it did... "_Ylva_...? Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm great." She beamed and glanced back out the window, only to yelp when Elsa suddenly shot up from the bed, any and all traces of drowsiness gone.

"What-what _happened?!_" The blonde demanded, brows drawing together in concern as she grabbed one of Ylva's hands. "You just - I woke up and you were gone! You've always waited until I wake up, but not this time, and I-"

Ylva breathed a laugh. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry... I know I usually wait, but I just... needed a breather after all that, I suppose. Some time to think... _I was scared_," She admitted sheepishly. "Of you, of me, of being in your room, surrounded by walls on all sides... I needed to sort out my thoughts."

"What time is it...?" Rubbing her eyes, she stifled a yawn and looked at the window, a frown tugging at her lips as she saw the Northern Lights wave in the sky.

The hooded girl gave a wry smile. "Erm... Either late at night or really early in the morning." She gave a meek look as she raised her shoulders in defense. "I had a thought, and, uh... _Do you want to go ice sliding?_"

"Ice sliding...?" Blinking, her head cocked to the side. "What... _right now?_"

"No better time." Idly fixing her hood so that it sat lower on her face, she turned to glance back out the window as her voice fell a bit. "Unless, of course, you want to go back to sleep... I did wake you, didn't I...? And you deserve whatever rest you can get, and-"

"Just give me one moment," Elsa sighed, pulling her blanket off before turning and planting her feet on the ground. "I'll go, I just need to get out of my night-gown..." As her thief gave a bright smile, she eyed her hood with mock annoyance. "And for God's sake, _take that hood off_..."

Ylva bit back a laugh as she raised her arms, defending, "It's my security blanket! And, you know," She added lightly, "Anna made me wash and brush it for the ball, so it's not like disgusting or anything..."

Elsa froze, eyes wide as she stared for a few seconds before throwing her head back and laughing. _She knew it_!

* * *

Snow crunched beneath their feet as they walked on a path that only Ylva seemed to know about. The air was crisp, clear, and bitingly cold, but Elsa didn't take much notice... For one, the cold never bothered her (most likely because of her ice powers) and, well... it would be hard to notice it, anyway, as Ylva animatedly told another one of her stories.

"So, yeah..." The hooded girl gave a sheepish smile as she rubbed the back of her neck from under her hood. "That's how I ended up becoming friends with the guy, who's now married to Princess Rapunzel..."

"You mean to tell me that you saved Eugene Fitzherbert...? From a crazed _horse_...?"

"He had actually gone by '_Flynn_', when I knew him." Ylva snorted and flashed an easy smile. "And when you put it like that, it sounds kind of crazy... _But yes_, that's exactly what I'm telling you." She paused mid step and looked to the side, where a thick wall of snow-covered bushes sat. Holding up a finger, she lifted her head and inhaled deeply through her nose before perking up. "This is it."

Sticking an arm straight into the foliage, she squeezed in a bit more before pulling the branches back, jerking head towards the opening with a small smile.

Elsa gave a somewhat tentative smile back before stepping through the opening and to the other side. Once she was through, the hooded girl hopped through after her. Brushing a few stray leaves from her cloak, Ylva held a hand out, motioning for her to turn around...

And once the blonde did, her breath caught in her throat.

A large pond glistened in the clearing, covered with ice that reflected the Northern Lights above it. Snow surrounded it on the icy banks, nearly glowing from the light of the moon. It was bright enough to see near perfectly...

"Ylva," She breathed. "This place is _beautiful_. How did you find it...?"

The shorter chuckled. "_Very carefully_."

Her awed smile dropped. Shooting the girl a playfully annoyed look, she heaved an exasperated sigh. "I really should have seen that coming..."

"You really should have." She gave a cheeky smile as she turned back to the pond, visibly relaxing as she sucked in a breath. Glancing back at the queen, she faltered and double took before glancing back down at herself. Before Elsa could ask what was wrong, a warm, fur cloak was draped over her shoulders. "I swear," The formerly hooded girl rolled her eyes, keeping her right side away from the blonde as she crossed her arms with a huff. "You're _trying_ to catch your death. What part of '_winter_' do you not understand...?"

Elsa giggled into her hand. "I appreciate your concern, but-"

"No buts!" The shorter lightly nudged her. "You're the queen. If you got ill while under my watch... _no_. It's not happening. Even if you're _not_ cold, just wear the damn thing, please... I barely feel the cold, anymore_; I've been living out here for my whole life. You_, on the other hand, have not. Just save this old hound some worry, would you...?"

She smiled, near giddy at her concern. _So sue her_, she still got undeniably happy when people were concerned about her... It was still foreign to her, as _she_ had always been the one to worry about the sake of others growing up. Really, she wasn't sure she would ever be able to just brush off other people's concerns without feeling that warm, bubbly feeling in her stomach.

So she just smiled. "I suppose I could, since you mean so well." As the girl breathed a quiet thank you, she added tentatively, "And if you don't mind, can I ask you something...?"

"You just did." Ylva sniggered as the blonde rolled her eyes. "But sure, I don't see the harm in asking another..."

"What was your childhood like?"

The girl paused, one visible brow raising as she looked out over the frozen pond. "My childhood...? Well..." Pursing her lips in contemplation, she said slowly. "Well... it was long. Kind of hard, if I'm to be completely honest." She scratched her neck idly. "I knew what to do to make it out here, but I lacked the skills to _actually_ do them, just then. I nearly died a couple... _well_, several times - but all the best pups do. It's how we grow wiser, how we learn... _and we never really stop learning_. That's what Mawwi always said, anyway."

"You've mentioned this Mawwi person a few times before." Elsa observed quietly.

With a small shrug, the ends of her lips curved up. "Well, _yeah_... She raised me. She kept me from starving to death when I first came about, so..."

Suddenly it all made sense, and her brows shot up. "_She was your wolf_ - the one that you said raised you..."

"You got it." She gave a curt nod, slowly but surely making her way to the banks, with the blonde following as her voice went quiet. "It was rough... especially after the bear, when Mawwi made me stay in the hole while she left to..." Trailing off, Ylva shook her head before continuing, voice lighter. "But it had it's share of good, same as the bad. I met friends along the way, _always_, whether they were man or beast... More beasts than anything, but to be quite honest, I almost always preferred them to people... People are always... _well_... they're _odd_ creatures. They're unpredictable, and not always worthy of trust... but Mawwi told me to give them everything I was, anyways, because when I found the one, my _person_... any pain I went through would be worth it."

Elsa quirked a brow, moving to stand besides her friend as she came to a stop at the snow-covered shore and asking curiously, "Your person...? What do you mean by that?"

The girl jerked a bit, turning to look at her. "_Oh_. Right... um," She turned back to watch the colors on the ice. "It's rather hard to explain in human speak and even in _hound_ speak, and it's a different concept than people use, I think, but... Your person is..." She exhaled as she struggled to find the words to explain. "Mawwi said since I was a person, too, it would be different somehow, but, um... When you find your person, you just... _you don't always know right away_, by the way, but finding your person and having them is... it's supposed to be the best thing in the world."

"They feed you and give you shelter, and in return you protect them and nuzzle them when they're sad, and you both give each other _everything_. They're just... just your person." Ylva shugged and hummed. "They love each other and take the good with the bad, and comfort the other when it's needed and help each other in every way they can."

Elsa hummed, eying the girl curiously. "So... like, a lover...?"

Turning to give her a bewildered look, she raised a brow. "A what?"

"A lover." Her pale cheeks turned pink at the thief's scrutiny. "It almost sounds like you're describing a lover. When two people share a romance...?" Ylva blinked, a lost look on her face. "They usually kiss...?"

Her dark brows furrowed in confusion. "Kiss...? Is that a human thing...?"

"I suppose it is," The shade of pink in her cheeks darkened. "It's when two people put their lips together. Not _just_ lovers do it, but..."

She gave a mystified look. "Lips together... but-but... why would you do that?"

Elsa faltered as she considered it. "To show affection."

"How does that show affection, though?" The shorter questioned, squinting in thought. "How does that show someone that you're fond of them...?"

"I..." The blonde's brows raised before drawing together. "_I don't know_." Turning to her, she asked, "But wait, does this mean you've never had a lover...?"

Ylva gave a thoughtful look. "You said that a lover was like having a person, so... no." She made a face. "I still don't understand, though... is a lover like... having a _mate?_ Or the human to human version of a dog having a person?"

"I suppose it's like having a mate," Elsa said slowly, thoughtfully. "Only... most people tend to hope it lasts until they die, and that it's like '_having a person_,' as you said."

"Okay, hold on a moment," She held her hands out, face screwed up in thought. "So... it's like a mate, only after the pups are born, they stay together and continue to have pups...? And the whole time, they act like a dog and their person...?"

"Sort of...?" Elsa offered sheepishly,

Her arms dropped to her side, brows still furrowed. "_This is complicated_."

"_People_ are complicated." Elsa corrected with a light, almost apologetic smile. She suddenly became more aware of how little she actually knew about people and their relations, and felt bad that she never had very good answers for her inexperienced friend. "Welcome to life with your own kind."

Mussing her hair, she shot the blonde a smile. "Don't apologize, Elsa... it's not so bad. I have more than I'd ever dared to dream, and as complicated as it is, it actually sounds nice."

She started to smile back, only to falter. "I... I never apologized to you..." _Out loud_, anyway...

Ylva chuckled and lightly patted her shoulder. "Actually... _you did_. But enough about this," Ylva beamed. "We can give me people lessons later; right now, we're going ice sliding!"

"Speaking of which, I never got to ask... what _is_ ice gliding, exactly?"

"_Sliding_," The shorter corrected lightly, only to falter and add, "Well, _you_ might glide. Mawwi glided... but me? _I slide_. I get hurt less that way. " She sniggered a bit as she took a couple of steps back. "I always end up hurt, regardless, but... _less_."

As she began pulling off her mail shirt and untying her belt, Elsa flushed. "_Why are you stripping?!_

Ylva simply cackled, eyes alight as she rolled her shoulders, winking before taking off running. She whooped as she got to the end of the bank and jumped...

Only to slide across the ice on her belly like a seal, giggling all the while. Elsa gaped, jaw hanging on its hinges as she stared at the girl, before bursting out into laughter so strong she couldn't even lift her hand to hide it.

As Ylva slowly slid to a stop, hooting with laughter, Elsa stepped onto the ice and slid over. She stood over the laughing girl, an amused grin on her face.

When she finally stopped and looked up from the ice, beaming, her face fell and her jaw dropped. "_What_...? How are you-_how are you doing that?!_"

"Doing what?" The blonde smiled, brow curving as the girl struggled to sit up.

"_That!_" She gestured to the fair queen with her arms. "Standing! On the ice! _Without falling!_"

Giggling into her hand, she asked, "You can't...?"

The girl spluttered. "Bu-wha-_no!_ I didn't - I didn't even know you _could!_"

Lips curved up, Elsa asked slowly, holding a hand out for her to grab, "Do you... want me to teach you...?"

"_Yeah_," She snorted and laughed, reaching up and grasping the offered hand. "That would be great."

* * *

"Alright, do you have it...?"

Ylva made a face, arms held out in an attempt to keep her balance. "Maybe...? There's only one way to find out, so..."

"I'm going to let go, now," Elsa laughed as a look of mock horror crossed the shorter's face. "You'll be _fine_; I'll catch you."

The girl snorted, eyes flicking up from the ice beneath her feet to meet hers. "_That's what I'm worried about_. I'm worried that I'm not going to be able to flip us in time so that my heavy behind doesn't crush you."

Rolling her eyes, the blonde shot back playfully, "_Three things_. For one, I am not made of glass; for two, you're not really very heavy at all..." She paused as she folded her hands behind her back. "_And_ I haven't been holding you since you started talking..."

"_Oh_." Her eyes widened as her whole body tensed up. "Okay... I haven't fallen, yet... _so_, what now?"

Giggling into her hand, she told her lightly, "Take a gliding step, just like I showed you."

"Okay, gliding step..." She breathed, rolling her neck before nodding to herself. "I can do this. I can _do this_..." She turned back to Elsa with her brows furrowed together. "_What if I can't do this?_"

"It takes practice," The blonde bit her lip to keep from laughing. "And you _can_. I'm right here, and we can practice whenever you want. I believe in you."

Ylva faltered, looking between her feet and the queen, a genuine smile tugging at her lips as she nodded again, breathing to herself. "Right. You believe in me... I can do this. You're right there..."

She hadn't even finished her sentence, hadn't even finished taking a single step when her feet flew up from the ground, a strangled yelp leaving her as she flailed about, and another yelp left Elsa as she jumped to grab her. Her arms circled around the smaller and she threw a foot back to keep her balance as Ylva staggered to keep from slipping, both with their eyes widened comically as they clung to each other.

Ylva blinked, barely even daring to _breathe_ from fear of falling. Her mix-matched eyes jumped from her boot-clad feet to Elsa's blues. "_Well_... that went really bad, _really_ fast."

"You hadn't even taken _one step_..." She breathed, nodding faintly in agreement, arms unconsciously tightening around her. "Maybe you really _are_ cursed..."

The shorter jerked in her arms, looking up at her, her one cut-up brow drawing down. "Did you really just joke about...?"

Her face immediately fell, and just as she began to apologize about making such a crude and insensitive joke, Ylva threw her head back and laughed.

"_You're amazing_. Just... _wow_. Please, don't ever change." Smiling, she laughed under her breath dropped her head onto the taller's shoulder. Briefly nuzzling her before straightening up, she pulled back some. "I'll just stick to _sliding_, since this skating thing seems to be a danger to my health an_d-!_" Another yelp left her as her legs slid apart, and the girl hurriedly grabbed Elsa to keep from doing to splits...

This time, however, Elsa wasn't quite ready and began to fall with her. But before Elsa could even begin to worry about getting landed on by the heavier girl, she landed on something warm and surprisingly soft.

Her eyes widened as the girl that was all of the sudden _underneath her_ gave a sheepish smile. "_Got'cha_."

"How did you..." She looked around, eyes still wide as she looked around, one hand on either side of Ylva. "_How did you do that?_" Adding quickly as a sly smile crossed Ylva's face, "And if you tell me '_very carefully_'..."

Sitting up a bit, leaning back on her forearms, she gave a meek smile as the tips of her ears turned red and she blew some hair from her face. "_Damn_, you caught me... I was totally going to say that." Addressing her earlier question, she simply shrugged a shoulder, smile steadily growing before she let her head loll back as she laughed.

Elsa started to scold her half-heartedly, only to freeze as she realized that they were really close when Ylva lifted her head and grinned, corners of her eyes crinkling as her eyes glowed with mirth... She had to double take as she realized that, _no_, her right eye was _actually_ faintly glowing...

Noticing the shift of change, the girl below her cocked her head to the side, smile still present. "Uh... _Elsa_...?"

"Your eye..."

"Yeah, it looks like a wolf's, I know," She playfully made a face. "I thought we gathered this...? I know it's freakish, but-"

"_No_, that's not what I'm talking about," The blonde moved a hand to cup the right side of her face, gently running her thumb across the scars under her eye, just below the marrings as she was worried about hurting her. "It... it _glows_."

If Ylva had any qualms with the way Elsa was suddenly invading her personal space, she didn't show it. In fact, she actually leaned into the cool hand as a smile tugged at her lips. "Does it really?" At the faint nod, she hummed thoughtfully, eyes going half-lidded as she lightly nuzzled the hand cupping her face. "Huh... I didn't know it did that. It's probably pretty scary, huh...?"

"Not at all," She moved her hand up some, tracing her thumb over her marred brow. "It's just... _different_. Beautiful, actually..."

It was amazing when she thought about it, really. Two nights ago, her eye, her _curse_ had frightened her. It had brought her mind to visions of hell and her worst nightmares... Now, it made her think of wheat fields. Golden sands that only came from the sweetest dreams of her childhood. The bright, comforting eyes of the cat that had adopted her as a young girl, when Anna had been but a babe...

The girl below her breathed a laugh. "Oh, Elsa... flattery will only get you _everywhere_. And since we're throwing around compliments, you have _the most_ beautiful eyes I've ever seen."

Elsa suddenly tensed up, eyes going wide and face turning red as she realized just what she was doing. She all but leapt off of the girl under her, who sat up completely unfazed. Heart racing in her chest, she moved a hand to place it over her heart in an attempt to calm it.

"Are you alright?" Ylva quirked a brow, but still had that soft smile on her face as she rubbed the back of her head. "I don't have fleas, you know... I _couldn't_, actually, what with it being winter and all." She faltered before adding quickly. "_Not that I've ever had fleas_. I was just letting you know that even if I _did_ get them, I _couldn't_..."

Heart still pounding and face still flaming, she gave a curt shake of her head. "No, that's not..." She faltered and moved to her feet. "It's... _Perhaps we should start heading back_."

"Oh... _oh_." Ylva's shoulders fell a bit as she propelled herself and slid across the ice to the snowy banks, stumbling to her feet as she tried and failed to not look disappointed. "Okay, sure." As Elsa slid over the ice and neared her, she added, "Maybe we could do this again, sometime...?" The blonde met her eyes, and the shorter flushed. "Or-or not, I mean... we could do something else... You probably don't really like being out here-"

Against her better judgement, because her stomach was doing flips all of the sudden and she was _pretty certain _that wasn't normal, she assured her gently, "Sure."

"Sure...?" She perked up, halfway through finishing trying her belt to her hip. "Oh, I, _yeah_. Okay, sure..." Grabbing her mail shirt and shaking some of the snow off, she slid it over her head fluidly before jogging over.

Despite herself, she quirked a brow and smiled. "Why do you sound so surprised...?"

Ylva shrugged. "I don't know, I just... sometimes I feel like a bother, you know? You're the queen _and_ a sister, and I'm just..." She trailed off and lifted her arms meekly.

"The lieutenant to my personal royal guard and one of my best friends." Elsa finished, giggling into her hand as the shorter beamed. "And a bit oblivious when it comes to matters that involve people..."

"Well, that's what I have you for."

The blonde quirked a brow as she lightly teased, "Well, I pity you, then... You should have picked Anna, for she knows far more about people than I do..."

"Oh, I know," She waved it off nonchalantly as she pulled the bushes back. "That's just another reason I chose you... With you, we _both_ learn and teach each other. With Anna, I would have just been a half-wild savage that needed to learn how to be civilised."

Elsa hopped through and turned to give the shorter a concerned look. "Anna would never think of you like that."

"I also know that," Ylva stepped through, brushing off her shoulders before moving to where the queen waited. "I was talking about how _I_ would end up thinking of myself."

A sympathetic, soft look crossed her face. "You should think more highly of yourself, you know." Her thief's eyes smiled, though her mouth barely even twitched up, and she continued, putting a hand on her arm. "_I_, for one, think very highly of you."

"That's merely because you're _you_."

Her brows furrowed. "What do you mean by that...?"

The shorter smiled and grabbed the hand on her arm, lightly squeezing it before dropping it and taking a leisurely pace back towards the castle. "What I mean is that you're practically a _saint_. Now let's get going! You're going to be running a kingdom in a few hours, and I want to rob as few hours of your sleep as I possibly can."

Elsa blushed as she stared after the strolling girl ahead of her. This girl... this girl was going to be the death of her, if she kept going like she was...

Shaking her head to herself, she willed a chilled breeze to cool her burning face before rushing a bit to catch up to her friend.

* * *

**Author's note~**

**Whoop whoop! Look at me, getting stuff done for a change! Well... don't get used to it, because I've gotta work with my uncle tomorrow. Twenty bucks for ten hours of labor! _Yay_, child labor!**

_**I'm just kidding by the way**_**. Child labor is bad, don't do it. And it's not really child labor, because I have a choice on whether I go or not, so no worries! He always gets me a frosty after, so it's all good, yo.  
**

**So yeah... Is it me, or is it getting a little shippy in here...? _Haa_, I'm an awkward turtle. Romance is _not_ my strong suit, but I'm really tryin'! I figured I'd throw some fluff out there before I get started on the shit storm that cometh ever closer. You'll see what the cray-cray author's talking about...  
**

**LET ME LOVE YOU GUYS. Because I do, love each and every one of you. If this were tumblr, I'd put a bunch of love gifs, fo shizzle. I hope my goofy little story made you smile a little :)**

**, _Blue_**


	11. Chapter 11

The queen woke up in a grand mood that morning. Though her room was empty, a familiar eyepatch sat on her desk, sitting besides the feather there. It was a small thing, but it was proof that the night's (or would it be early morning's...?) events weren't just a dream her mind had conjured up in an attempt to make the day less stressful.

With that, she rose to her morning routine with a smile curving her lips and a calm in her heart because Ylva hadn't run away as she had feared the day before...

It wasn't until she heard it... a howl, distant, but chilling all the same, that wiped the smile from her face. And then, a muffled thud as Kai knocked on her door. "Please excuse me, my queen, but... there are some matters that demand your attention, I'm afraid..." Brows drawing together, she glanced back at her window. The sun had yet to rise... "It is not urgent, but it isn't something that can wait. We've recently gathered some... _troubling_ reports."

The blonde frowned and quickly tied the end of her braid, brushing non-existent dust from the from the front of her dress before going to the door and pulling it open. "I'm ready. Lead the way, Kai."

The portly, balding man bowed his head. "Yes, your majesty. This way..."

* * *

Frowning at the uncharacteristic hushed noise in the marketplace, Elsa walked feeling more uneased than she had been in what felt like ages. It seemed she had gotten used to peace far too quickly.

It was an overcast day, with few people out and about; only getting what they needed and taking a brisk pace back home. A chilled wind blew through the streets, but it wasn't her doing... It made her stomach bubble with nervousness. The air was tense, as though waiting. For what, she didn't know...

Another howl, not quite as distant as the first had been, pierced the air. Everyone, the queen included, froze at the sound.

No one knew exactly what was going on, not even her. Just that attacks have been happening. They had started on the very outskirts of the kingdom, and have been steadily drawing in. The few survivors that had managed to escape were half-crazed from exhaustion, babbling about an army of wolves that were searching for someone, and killing any person that got in the way.

Naturally, Elsa hadn't announced the news to the city, but they still knew that something was happening. Something was coming.

But regardless, she didn't want her subjects to worry, _not yet_. Not before anyone really knew what was going on, if there was even a cause to be worried... So she forced herself to appear calm and relaxed, and smiled at the merchants.

As she passed the blacksmith, she faltered mid step to look at his famous mule in its pen. It was a large thing, bigger than Sven and even all of the horses in the royal stables. One ear was torn, and his fur was longer, shaggy. Warm, golden brown fur, a white muzzle and blonde mane that was kept short. A white patch covered his hindquarters, and a white star stood a bit off-center on his forehead.

He was supposed to be friendly, but she'd never really wanted to take the chance - not with all the stories she's heard the children giggle about amongst each other as they fed the animal apples.

The animal's long ears perked, and his nostrils flared before he began tossing his head and whinnying with unease.

The smith came hurtling out of his open shop, a hammer in hand as he looked around furiously. "What is it, Ingvar?! Thieves?" The large man faltered, raising his free hand to his iron cap before stroking his untamed and somewhat singed, ginger beard as the mule snorted and kicked one of the posts to his pen. "_What?_ Wolves...? Here? That's impossible..."

As Elsa amusedly thought that Kristoff wasn't the only person that talked to their animals, she realized that she heard growling, and she and the blacksmith met eyes. She saw panic fill his eyes, and suddenly he leapt at her with a thunderous shout...

Only to go right past her and crash onto the floor. She heard a yelp as she whirled around, only to see the man holding down a small, rather undernourished and struggling wolf.

Everything was going much too quickly for her to react, and the blacksmith _roared_. "_Ylva!_"

The blonde whirled around, only to see another, bigger wild dog galloping towards her before she saw a flash of white from the corner of her eye.

The white flash and the brown blur exchanged equally vicious snarls as they collided, and just as Elsa began to form ice in her hands, a strained shout, Ylva screamed at her. "_Elsa_, let Ingvar out right now!"

So she did. She ran, heart hammering against her chest as she pulled the heavy lock out, only to cry out as the stall door was kicked open. The mule whinnied before racing around the corner and going at another wolf that had been laying in the shadows, waiting to ambush them, and trampling it.

A few cries from the nearby merchants registered in her mind as she watched in a horrified awe as Ylva picked the scrambling, snarling, biting wolf and threw it clear across the street and into a pole with a growl before turning to the blonde and rushing over. Her hood was on, but she could still see the concern in her shadowed eyes as she grabbed Elsa's pale, cold hands.

"Are you alright, did they get you?!" Before Elsa could even begin to answer, the girl gripped her face in her hands and turned it this way and that before exhaling in relief. "You're okay, you're fine," Her hands lowered to grab her shoulders as she turned to the mule that came trotting out of the alley, hooves bloodied but otherwise completely unscathed. "Ingvar! Did you catch what's going on, what's happening?!"

The beast of burden reared up a bit, throwing its head angrily before landing heavily back onto the street and snorting in the hooded girl's face as snow began falling.

Ylva's face contorted into a mixture of worry and confusion, glancing at Elsa before turning to the blacksmith, who had finally managed to get the wolf under control. "Gunnar! What happened?!"

"I don't know, lass," He told her gruffly, grunting as the wolf struggled fruitlessly. "Ingvar began hollering at the top of his lungs about a danger of some sort, and then next thing I know, there are wolves!"

The girl pulled her cloak a bit closer around herself, in just a small, sleeveless shirt underneath it, and jogged to the man. She got down to look at the small wild dog, and a look of recognition then fury crossed her soot-stained face as she spoke, more to herself than anything. "_You!_ I know you!" Her hands tightened into fists. "Gunnar, get off of that damned hound, and get off of him _now!_"

The man gave an uncertain look, but got off like she had told him to.

Before the wolf could even move to pick itself up off of the ground, Ylva pounced and grabbed it by the scruff with one hand, using her other to hold it's snapping, yelping jaws shut. "You-_you!_" She shook the wolf as a growl rumbled with her words. "I played with you and fed you as a pup, you ungrateful-!" She barked with authority as she stomped over to smithing shop, slamming the hound against the wall. "I saved your sorry hide, you rotten, good-for-nothing _traitor!_ We hunted together-!"

Her words melted into a mix of growls and snarls with the odd word or sentence thrown in the mix, nose wrinkling as she bared her teeth, and Elsa could only watch as the dog squirmed and whined in her grasp, not trying to bite her even when she removed her hand from its maw.

The pelt-covered girl went quiet for a bit as the wolf whimpered and whined and yowled, sounding an awful lot like it was rambling, only to sharply yelp as Ylva dropped it to the ground, still fuming, but... less.

Sitting down with it's head lowered, it continued to whine to her, glancing up to look at the girl now crouched above it. After a few more whimpers, it squirmed closer, tail no longer completely curled against its furry belly.

As it continued to... well, it could only be described as talking to Ylva, merchants began to leave their stalls and inch closer; a mixed reaction of fear, confusion, curiosity, and awe coming from them as they mumbled among themselves.

Ylva suddenly jerked back, losing her balance and landing flat on her behind, visibly shocked, even with her eyes shrouded. "_What?!_ Me?" The wolf's ears fell flat against its head as it made a noise that sounded like a mix between a whine and a groan. "But... why?!"

Another groan, and her mouth went into a thin line. "That's... _no_, that's... that isn't possible... Why would-?" Again, her sentence melded into a series of yips and growls and facial expressions. "Is that why I got attacked...?" A whimper left the wild dog. "She's doing _what?!_ How could I have...? He's supposed to be a fairy tale. A legend!" She raised her arms in exasperation. "Something Mawwi told about to put me to sleep!"

The muscles in her bare arms tensed as they moved to cover the top of her head while the wolf's ears raised and dropped as it barked. "I didn't... _why would I?!_ How could I have known?! Yeah, it was a really big wolf, but..." Her face twisted as the wolf yipped, its left ear twitching before she defended, "_No! He_ attacked _me!_ I was out," She gestured to the woods, "Trying to track a rabbit or some other prey in the brief reprieve of the storm when he jumped at me!"

With a sharp yelp, the wild dog's yellow eyes widened, ears perking up as it gave another series of groans and yips.

Panic filtered through Ylva's voice. "_What?!_"

The small hound gave a sharp bark and sat up straighter, putting a paw clumsily on the girl's shoulder.

Looking to Elsa helplessly, she turned back to the small, scrawny dog, which had crawled over to her lap and rested its chin on her shoulder as a whimper left it. "Wait... so you three..." Another whine, and every muscle in the girl visibly tensed. "Oh... _oh no_..." The wolf nudged her chin with its nose with no amount of gentleness, and she gave a curt nod before leaping to her feet. "Right."

She disappeared behind a hide that was hanging, and when she came back around moments later, she had her armor and belt back on. Rushing to Ingvar with the small wolf at her heels, she grabbed a fistful of the mule's fur while shouting back. "_I gotta go!_"

Elsa rushed forward, snow getting heavier as she grabbed the girl's arm before she could clamber onto the huge animal. "No! You have to explain what's going on! What did it say?!"

The shorter grimaced as the wolf galloped a few paces ahead and looked back, before turning back to the queen. "I promise, I'll tell you later, but I have to go _now!_"

"Why?" She demanded, authority filling her tone. "What's happening? You need to tell me!"

"I _will_," Ylva said hurriedly, an anxious whine leaving her as she grabbed the queen's hands. "I need to buy us some time, though. Just... tell everyone to stay indoors, or carry a weapon of some sort, have guards patrol the city more-" The wolf yelped for her attention, and she nodded vigorously. "_I'll be back_."

The snow began falling heavier, faster, swirling with the already present wind as she tried not to look _completely_ terrified for her thief's safety. "What if you aren't?"

"_I will_." The shorter girl assured her firmly, wrapping her arms around the blonde and lightly squeezing her once before ducking under her arms and hopping onto the large mule. She pulled out her sword and used her other hand to grip the beast's mane. "Gunnar, forget about making things right now; check the links on armor, make sure the laces on the leather armor are sturdy, and sharpen up the blades!"

Although he was being ordered around by his apprentice, the large man didn't seem to have any qualms about it as he nodded. "Aye, lass. You be careful, come back safe!"

Ingvar snorted and stamped at the ground as Ylva spoke into his ear before he started galloping after the wolf.

* * *

Elsa paced the width of the grand hall in front of the throne, near to ripping her hair out.

_This wasn't fair_. Ylva had made it seem as though her kingdom was going to be under attack, under _siege_ even, but she hadn't said anything! Brief bits and pieces and parts that made no sense when put together! She was the ruler of the kingdom, but she didn't know anything. _Anything!_

She threw an arm in exasperation, only to gasp as ice shot out of her fingers. She quickly cradled the offending hand to her chest, using her other to get rid of the spikes sticking out haphazardly from the ground, a noise of frustration leaving her as she did so.

Anna stumbled into the center of the great hall, and the queen looked at her for a few moments before continuing her pacing.

"Elsa...? What's going on?"

And just like that, she was off. She threw a hand into the air, barely taking note as some stray snowflakes leapt from her as they would melt soon enough, and huffed. "I was attacked by wolves!" She ignored the redhead's concerned look and continued. "And then Ylva and the blacksmith and a _mule_ came tearing out, and apparently she really can talk to dogs-! And she had a whole, _serious-sounding conversation_ that I couldn't understand with one of the wolves that she evidently has a history with and then before I can even _ask_ what's going on, she gets into her armor and takes the mule and the wolf-"

"That she can talk to...?"

"_That she can talk to_," She confirmed, hugging herself as she turned to begin pacing again. "And ran off after one of the wolves that had gotten away! She said she was buying us some time, and that she would be back to explain, but _what if she doesn't come back?_ What am I supposed to do?! I don't know what's going on; it seemed like _she_ barely even knew what was going on! I can't defend a kingdom - I can't defend _you_ if I don't know what I'm going up against-!"

Anna stepped forward and grabbed her arm, pulling the older into a hug before she could protest. "I know that you're stressed and worried, but making it snow in the castle isn't going to help."

"I'm not-" She faltered as she looked around, only to realize that a light dusting of snow was on the ground as snow drifted from the ceiling, "_Oh_." With a wave of her hand, she dispelled the result of her stress and relaxed (if just a bit) into the much-needed hug. "I'm sorry..."

The redhead bit back a smile as her sibling leaned against her. "It's okay... And Elsa...? We're not defenceless, you know... We're all ready and willing to fight against whatever might come, me included. I'll have you know that I'm _pretty deadly_ with a lute."

Lips twitching up, Elsa sighed. "I know you're perfectly capable of taking care of yourself, but..."

"I know, you're my big sister and you're supposed to protect me." Anna rolled her eyes but nodded. "I've heard it all before... And, you know you didn't have to get rid of the snow, right...?"

The queen slumped against her. "Ylva is supposed to be back..." She trailed off.

"And she still doesn't know about your powers." The redhead finished, tutting lightly. "Why are you hiding your powers from her...?"

She started to protest. "I'm not hiding..." The woman faltered as Anna pulled away enough to give her a stern look. "_Okay_, maybe I am..." She admitted weakly. "At first, I never had a reason to use them, and I just... she _didn't know_. And I didn't think that I would ever see her again, so I suppose I just figured I'd see how people reacted when they thought I was just a regular, powerless queen." The blonde dropped her head against Anna's shoulder and heaved a breath. "But then she took out that attempted killer, and then you invited her to dinner, and she ended up being _much_ more entertaining and friendly than I had previously thought..."

"_And_...?" She prompted lightly.

"And things just kept coming up, and she kept proving herself more and more... _more_. More than I had thought. She _trusts_ me. She's trusted me with _everything she is_. And I've not yet found a chance to tell her, and I'm not sure I _want_ her to know, especially after she told me about her curse..."

Anna's brows furrowed. "Why not...?"

"She's skittish enough," Elsa reminded her dryly. "And I don't want to lose a friend. Don't you think that telling her I have ice powers would freak her out...? And hurt her...? This isn't a _little thing_, and I've been hiding it this whole time... She probably wouldn't take it very lightly..."

The redhead hummed in thought before shrugging. "Maybe... _if you weren't you_."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean," Anna sighed and spoke like she was saying the most obvious thing in the world. "I'm not the only person that knows how great you are... _Ylva thinks you're great, too_. If you just explain, I'm sure she wouldn't care." She paused. "Actually, _she's pretty laid-back_... if you just made a snow flurry from the palm of your hand and went, '_hey, look at what I can do_,' she would probably be okay with it. A little surprised, but okay."

Elsa tried not to deadpan. "I seriously doubt that..."

"Then you obviously haven't spent enough time with her," She ribbed lightly, flashing a goofy smile. "She probably already knows you're hiding something. So it wouldn't be that big of a shock... _just saying_." She raised her arms in defense. "I've noticed that you've been hiding your powers around her for a while now... It's not good for you and the more you hide it, the worse it could potentially be... _if_ she doesn't find out for herself." She leaned in close, whispering conspiratorially, "Between you and me, _I think she reads minds_..."

"And," The redhead added, "Olaf misses you. He wants to know why you asked him to stay away until you give the okay, and so do I."

The queen's shoulders sagged. "Are you kidding? Olaf would scare the _curse_ out of her..."

Anna started to laugh, only to freeze and (accidentally) snort as she straightened up, suddenly looking very serious. "And how come she told you about the curse and not me?!"

Freezing for a moment, almost guilty before she giggled into her hand, still worried but not quite as pressingly so, Elsa just grabbed her sister's freckled hand. Just being Anna's presence was immensely comforting, and the queen found herself thanking her lucky stars that she had her, because once upon a time she had very nearly lost her.

"I love you." Elsa breathed with a small smile.

Anna simply grinned and squeezed the hand holding. "I love you, too... Just don't let Sven hear," She joked lightly. "He gets jealous and insecure."

The two shared looks before breaking out into giggles.

* * *

**Author's note~**

**Ughhghgh... I'm tired ._. Guess who stayed up 'till five in the morning goofing off on tumblr? I don't really have to say when it's me at this point of the relationship, right...?**

**Well'p, anyways... Here we are. Chappie 11. Oh, and dID I MENTIONT HAT THIS STORYY NOW HAS 100 FOLLoWERS WhAT?! Dude, I don't even KNOW anymore. But I don't really care either, I love all of you! You don't even KNOW. sksdafklsadkl;;kl  
**

**So, enough of Blue's spazzin'. Hope this wasn't too bad. I mean, it probably is, because this chapter was the reason I'd stayed up so late-err, early. SHit's goin' down, guys. Shit's goin' down, and Ylva STILL doesn't know about Elsa's powers, and I know some of you guys are all, 'When the fuck is she gonna know?' Well, I'll tell you this...**

_**Not today**_**. BWAHAHAHAHAAaa... I'm gonna get some bricks thrown at me. Well, BRING IT. If you throw enough, I can build a wall :D**

**fuckIN GLIB GLOB IT, I need a nap :I**

**, _Blue_**


	12. Chapter 12

The double doors squealed as they were pushed open, drawing the royal sisters attentions.

A snow-covered figure staggered in, which Elsa quickly recognized as Ylva, and kicked the heavy doors shut with a grunt. As she and Anna rushed over, they realized that she was carrying a wolf over her shoulders and panting lightly... and also covered in blood.

"_Ylva!_"

"_Ylvie!_"

Said girl jerked and looked up from under her hood before visibly relaxing as she stumbled a bit. "Oh, hello ladies..."

Elsa tried not to look mortified as she stumbled to a stop. "You... blood_..._"

She could imagine a brow raising from under her hood, before the armored girl perked up and barked a laugh. "Oh, no, you don't need to worry about me..." She jerked her head to the wolf lying limply across her shoulders. "Worry about him. It's his blood, not mine."

Anna gasped. "Is it... _dead...?_"

Just as she finished asking, the wolf's head lifted and it looked at the redhead with curious yellow eyes, causing the girl to squeal.

Ylva gave a wry smile as she bowed her head and shifted the wild dog so that she held it in her arms. "Only about as much as I am." It nuzzled her shoulder a bit before propping it's head on her shoulder, giving a barely audible whine as it shifted its bloody leg. "The brave little guy took a bite to the leg for me, so I figured the least I could do was carry him."

Her nose and cheeks were tinged red from being out in the cold that had only gotten worse due to Elsa's previous worries, and her shoulders were slumped with what looked like guilt...?

Elsa nearly choked on her breath. "You... _you_..."

"Yes, me." She shook herself to get some of the snow that had piled on her off before moving away from the door and exhaling heavily, suddenly looking weary and quite fearful. "I'm tired... but I owe you an explanation, don't I...?"

The blonde opened her mouth, but no sound came out. So she just nodded, eying the bright blood on her cloak and the wolf in her arms before pulling the girl into a hug.

Neither Ylva nor the wolf in her arms seemed to mind, and the girl dropped her head onto her shoulder, face uncharacteristically cold as she nuzzled her. Mumbling into her shoulder, she asked tentatively, "Can we go somewhere I can sit down before I start explaining...?"

Elsa pulled back and glanced at Anna before nodding. "Sure."

* * *

The wolf that was still being cradled to her chest licked her hand that lightly stroked the bridge of its snout, and Anna couldn't help but give a warm smile as the hooded girl murmured soothing words to the animal. "What's its name?"

Ylva looked up, cheeks flushing a bit as she shifted in her spot on the floor, in front of the crackling fireplace. There was more than enough room for the girl to sit on the couch with the two royal sisters, but she just seemed hell-bent and determined to sit in front of the fire.

"Oh, uh... his name is Bjorn." She gave a sheepish smile as she looked down at the small wolf, lightly scratching under his chin before adding at Elsa's knowing and questioning look. "He's small, and had a hard life, but he has all the bravery of a bear, so... Yeah. Bjorn. Bear. If I tell you the story it will make more sense, but trust me. He has the guts of a bear..." She made a face. "Whether that's supposed to be a good thing or not, I'm still not sure..." The wolf, Bjorn, thumped his tail against her leg a few times and gave a small yip, nudging her neck until she breathed a laugh and rubbed his ear. "_Okay_, okay, it's mostly a good thing."

Elsa bit back a smile as she looked back down to her mug of hot chocolate, only jerk back up as Ylva heaved a sigh.

"Alright, then... I suppose it's time to spill. Anna, um... You should probably go wait outside." The redhead complained under her breath but slunk out, and once the door clicked shut, she sucked in a breath. "So... the details are sketchy, but I may have ended up killing a living - _well_, I guess he's not living any more - legend to wolves everywhere," A grimace crossed her face. "And I may be wearing that legend's hide as a cloak...?"

The blonde's face fell. "You're kidding..."

"But wait, there's more," She winced, suddenly finding her wounded companion to be the most fascinating thing in the world. "Apparently his mate... Well, she has a lot of push in the wolf world, and... she may be trying to hunt me down so she can wear _my_ skin as a trophy, like she claims I'm doing with her mate...?"

The girl shrunk, laughing weakly at the face Elsa made. "_I'm not done_... So, this mate of the legend I'm wearing as a winter cloak right now, either doesn't know the full story or knows _exactly_ what she's doing, but either way...? She's hunting me down," She gave another weaker laugh as she made herself even smaller. "And she probably isn't going to stop until either I'm dead or she is..."

It went quiet, and Elsa had to bite her tongue to stay quiet.

"And, um... _I do have a plan for this_, by the way," Ylva's voice was barely audible. "So... Ingvar and Bjorn think it's stupid, but I'm... I'm going to give myself up, and pray that they'll give me a chance to talk and explain. I can fix this."

She stared at the hooded girl, and Bjorn gave a low growl that ended in a whine. The queen deadpanned. "_No_."

"Elsa," She started.

"_No_." The blonde gave her a look. "There's another solution to this."

A scoff left the girl on the floor. "What, kill every wolf in a three hundred mile radius...? I'm not killing another wolf. Ever."

"Why not?" She implored exasperatedly.

Ylva heaved a sigh and dropped back onto the ground, taking no note as Bjorn merely shifted and used her as a pillow. "Because killing more wolves means I'm going to be killing my friends."

"_Friends don't try to kill friends_."

"Listen, Elsa... Wolves and people, they're different," She explained feebly, tiredly. "They're bred and born with an undying loyalty to their pack. So even though we may have hunted and played and slept together, _they don't know that I'm innocent_. The leader of the pack - the alpha for all of them out there, right now? It's the legend's mate... and she told them to attack me on sight, to drag my half-dead body to her feet. I could give my side of the story if I can get them one at a time, but we don't _roll_ like that, not unless we don't have a choice. And on something like this, I can guarantee that the last thing they're going to be is alone, so that option's out." Ylva whined as she lifted a hand to lower the hood over her face. "I've caused enough problems as it is, and you've done too much for me to ask you to help me. All I'm asking is that you make sure Bjorn is okay... I'm leaving as soon as day falls."

Elsa jumped to her feet, trying to hold her temper. "No, you're not. You're being idiotic and irrational!"

"Maybe."

"You even admit it, and you still want to go through with it?!"

"_I can't kill another innocent person!_" Ylva froze, stumbling to lower her tone as she remembered who she was talking to, gently sliding Bjorn off and standing. "I murdered him... He was just doing what she told him, and I didn't need to kill him, but I was just so _angry_. He'd tried to kill you, Elsa..." She gave a shuddery breath as she tugged her hood back, mismatched eyes watery. "Either way, _I lose_. I either have to kill the ones I've grown up with, or I have to go on knowing that just by breathing I'm putting you - you and Anna at risk."

The shorter girl's breath hitched. "_I'm scared, Elsa_... I've never had so much to lose - and since you're the queen, I have to worry about what you lose because when you lose, _so do I_. It was always a carefree life... I had friends, but they were the ones that I could forget and vice versa. I took more risks because it didn_'_t matter if I died taking down a bear or got killed stealing food from a castle. I never had to worry about things like this; _my biggest concern was not starving to death_, because starving was slow and painful and miserable, and that was it! I never wanted to _not_ hide my curse because no one really, actually cared enough to want to know!" She laughed without humour and mussed her hair. "I would never take any of it back, but I can't-!

That was the end of the line. She didn't need to hear any more. She didn't _want_ to hear any more. Elsa rushed over and pulled her friend to her chest, wrapping her arms around her and giving her the warmest hug she could muster; willing her powers to go away _just for the moment_, because at the moment Ylva needed to feel as loved as possible and she couldn't do that if she was worrying about her powers reflecting her emotions.

And it seemed to work. Ylva hid her face in the blonde's neck, heaving shuddery breaths, leaving a warm patch of humidity on her neck that came and went with her breathing. She clung to the taller like she was holding onto a life line...

In a way, _she kind of was_, but Elsa pushed that thought to the back of her mind before stroking her hair as she sniffled. The blonde pressed her lips against the crown of her head. "Ylva... tonight, you're going to stay in my room, alright...? You're not going through with this plan of yours; we're going to figure this out together. You don't ever have to do anything alone again... Okay?"

The shorter nodded.

Pulling away and grabbing the girl's face between her hand, she looked her in the eye. "You have to promise. Do you promise...?"

Something odd happened then... Ylva squinted, seemingly searching for something in Elsa's eyes. She looked and she looked, and after a few minutes, her brows raised by a fraction of an inch. Her mouth opened, but no sound come out, and she finally just snapped her mouth shut and gave a curt nod.

Her thief looked a bit puzzled, but the blonde didn't really pay it any mind as she pulled the girl into another lighter hug.

* * *

_She should have known better_.

Something roused her in her sleep, brushed across her cheek, gently, ever so gently... intending to not wake her, but Elsa was a light sleeper by habit.

When she opened her eyes, however, she saw nothing. As her eyes began to slide shut again, the full meaning of that hit her. _She saw nothing_.

A strangled cry left her as she shot up. "_Ylva!_" She looked frantically around the room but only met Bjorn's gold eyes, who sat low with his ears folded back, in the center of her room. Taking a closer look, she realized that a crookedly folded piece of paper sat between his two front paws.

She raced over and slid to her knees in front of the small wolf, grabbing the note and hastily, nearly ripping it in the process, pulled it open.

In sloppy letters that had dripped a bit while drying, a single word stood in the middle...

_Sorry._

Her hands trembled as she read and reread that single word over and over, even flipping the pages a couple of times in a vain attempt to see something she might have missed. After doing that, she gripped the paper in her hands, neither taking notice nor caring when rime began crawling over the paper.

"Sorry," She spluttered in disbelief, "_S-sorry?_ She broke-she broke a promise. She's going to her death, and all she can say is _sorry?!_" The wolf whined in agreement, eyes mournful as he watched her put a trembling hand over where she had felt something - probably Ylva, now that she thought about it - touch her.

Suddenly sitting up, her eyes met Bjorn's as an idea struck her. To say that it was a long shot would be too generous, too kind. It was foolishly childish and not very like to work, but... _it was her only chance_. "_You_. I know you can understand me, at least to an extent. She didn't leave too long ago... _moments_ before I woke up, right?"

The small wolf's ears lifted, staring at her curiously for a moment before closing his eyes and bowing his head oh so subtly.

Adrenaline began pumping through her veins as her eyes widened. "You could find sniff out her trail. You could help me find Ylva and slap some sense into her." She sucked in a breath. "_Will you help me find her_...? Will you help me - help her?"

Bjorn got to his feet and scampered to the window with a slight limp, scratching at it before looking back at her and whining anxiously.

Elsa jumped up, going and quickly shoving on some riding boots before rushing to the window where the wild dog waited. She all but threw her window open, eyes lighting up when she saw the footprints in the snow on the roof. Looking back to Bjorn, the two met eyes, her nodding encouragingly at the wolf, before stepping out onto the sloped roof.

_This was her only chance_. She had to take it.

* * *

**Author's note~**

**But she's gonna be a little too late and walk in on the wolves while they're trying to kill her, only to be all _woosh_ with her powers on the wolves. Then Elsa is going to pick up Ylva princess style and they're gonna fly away on Sven and with Ingvar the bodyguard mule on a magical rainbow. With sparkles.**

**_Err_, wait... actually, that was actually just part a dream. Not part of the actual story... OR IS IT?! (_it's not_)  
**

**So I LOVE YOU GUYS. You don't even know. I fangirl over my readers. I already confessed to this one awesome person, they know who they are. Just... let me love you guys. Plz. Just a little.. flippin' 100 reviews, man, you guys are cray-cray! Such crazy. Much wow.  
**

**Anyways, hope this one wasn't too bad. Sorry not sorry for sending Ylva to her death. It'll work out... right...?**

**Haaa... I don't really know, the story just kinda comes to me. Like, I was actually gonna have Ylva, Anna and Elsa talk about wolf/dog culture, and the whole '_finding your person_' thing, but instead, my brain decided '_let's make Ylva go to her death :3_'. And I'm tellin' you guys, it's not lookin' good for Ylva's future. My brain is toying with some bunked up stuff... you've been warned :|**

**Oh, and I got enough bricks to build a wall now! And a random chunk of cement, but... hey, I can break off pieces and throw them at things! Like snowballs, only with more death! :D**

**, _Blue_**


	13. Chapter 13

Elsa ran after Bjorn, who had taken off into a limping gallop through the snow. As the two came to the clearing on the side of the mountain, where a small glacier took a snail's pace down the slope, they froze at the sight before them. There must have been a hundred wolves on the ice, all of them surrounding one stupidly stubborn, pelt-covered girl...

_Ylva_.

She had spoken the name out loud without realizing it, but quickly realized her error when half of the swarm of wolves turned their attention to her.

A mix of gold and brown and gray pair of eyes met her blues, and as she met a familiar pair of mix-matched eyes, as fear and panic entered those eyes, she realized that _maybe_ she should have stayed quiet.

The air went tense. And then... it just exploded. As a stampede of wild dogs came roaring after her, scrambling over each other in their hurry to reach her, she hesitated as a cold chill went over her. Was this really the way she wanted to show Ylva her powers...? Killing the dogs she claimed were her friends...?

But then a nearby snarl snapped her from her thoughts and her blood went cold, her pupils dilated as ice coated the ends of her fingers, and she lifted her arms to show these wild beasts who to submit to, one for, only to flail as a heavy weight slammed into her back. Her blasts of ice were shot harmlessly into the already frozen ice they stood on.

The animals had flanked her without her ever even realizing it...

She heard a shout. "Don't you touch her! _I'll kill you!_"

Her face was suddenly in the powdery dust, and pure terror flooded her as snarls filled her ears from every direction. She threw her arms up to keep one of the quicker wolves at bay...

Then, a roar. So loud that it made the iced ground beneath her tremble, and sent every wolf into a panicked frenzy. Before Elsa even realized what was happening, she heard a shout and looked up to see Ylva jumping over the swirling mass of wild dogs, face stony as she managed to pick _her_ wolf from the crowd by the scruff of his neck, and as an arm wrapped around her, she heard the ice beneath them crack.

And as the three of them fall through the crevice in the glacier, Elsa throws a hand towards the inky blackness that threatens to swallow them and, without thinking, shoots a blast of ice before it all goes dark for her.

* * *

Elsa had never considered herself an adventurous person - no, that was more Anna's thing. Naturally, as a child, it would happen after a few pokes and prods from her little sister...

But she wasn't a child anymore. And no one had prodded her to go along on this venture. As a matter of fact, no one even knew where she was at this point.

It really was odd, when she considered it. _You never know your limitations until you know a friend in need_, as Kai had once told her... And that sounded about as accurate as it could get, at the moment. That was the only thing that could possibly rationalize why she had thought this was a good idea...

And her friend, her dear, goofy friend _had_ been in need. Ylva, easy-going and affectionate Ylva, had been playing a card that Elsa had read far too often in her books as a child.

The hero, stuck between two options that were both bad for the fate of their loved ones, carved their own path and sacrificed themselves to save the others. As mentioned before, it was a plotline that was used far too often... And far too often, the hero's loved ones were left devastated at the loss of their hero. Far too often, it took the hero's end to be recognized as the good person they were. And far too often, the hero's loved ones were left wondering _why_... why such a bright, promising light had to be snubbed out far before the allotted time.

Maybe it was because she had always hated seeing it happen in books; having it happen in real life would have been too devastating. She didn't want to be the hero's mourning loved one. She didn't want her thief's flame, bright as it always was, to be snuffed out.

Because, as several more books had told her, the only one who could alter fate was the one that fate was affecting. And the fate that had nearly befallen upon her would have most certainly affected her in all the worst ways.

And it would hurt. She knew it would hurt if it happened, even more so knowing that she had hidden her powers from Ylva, when that one altercation to fate could have been the difference between her leaving to do this or not. It _already_ made her insides squirm, because hiding her powers from her had effectively made her the damsel in distress in this story, when all this time she could have been and done so much more.

There was so much she could have, and probably should have done. But saving her thief left her options open. Her hero, her _thief_ was not making the sacrifice she had read time and time again. Not now, not when her thief's fate was already tied in with hers; _she wouldn't allow it_.

In life, several things were out of her control; but _this_, this was one thing that she would hold onto with an iron grip. Because both of them really were only just starting out in life. Ylva's light shined at an intensity that surpassed her own and rivaled Anna's. And having such a light blown out before it could truly show the world its colors would be a shame.

Yes, that sounded about right...

So that, she decided, was why she didn't quite mind being pressed onto the armored girl below her by the small, scraggly wolf on top of her. That was why she couldn't find it in her to care as the claw mark on her arm beaded blood and stained the sleeve of her nightgown, because it was either torn pajamas or no Ylva; and when it came down to it, the queen would rather have all the pajamas she owned ripped to shreds and _then some_, than have Ylva die.

The fact remained even as the girl cracked an eye open, peeked at her, and groaned as she took in the queen's dishevelled appearance with guilt. "Sorry..."

Ah, yes... _that reminded her_...

Ylva had to stifle a yelp as the blonde grabbed her by the collar of the shirt that stood from the low-lying mail shirt. "You broke your promise. You broke it, nearly gave me a heart attack, and all you leave me is a note that says '_sorry_'?!"

Elsa started to call her something very unqueen-like, only to give a muffled squeal as Ylva's warm, fingerless-gloved hand covered her mouth. She glared at the scarred girl, only to freeze as she realized that she heard growls above the crevice they were in.

The very edge of several pairs of paws hung over their heads, but then... she felt the air crackle before the everything turned near too bright to stand and the whole world boomed. And she suddenly didn't mind when Ylva hugged her and Bjorn close, one hand covering each of their mouths to keep them from crying out as a huge pine tree that smelled burnt crashed over the crevice.

Even more darkness fell over them. The girl's cursed eye was the only source of light, faint as it was, and as Elsa's hearing slowly came back to her, she realized that she could hear faint snarling and scratching through the ringing in her ears.

A familiarly warm cloak was draped over her shoulders and see moved to see Ylva cocked her head to the side as she strained to listen to what was going on outside. Brows furrowed as she tried to dispel the ringing in her ears that she obviously had; which was probably worse than the queen's, as she hadn't been able to use her hands to cover her ears as Elsa had, covering her and Bjorn's mouths.

After a few minutes, the snarling stopped and, as far as Elsa could tell, the wolves went away.

Her suspicions were proven correct when both her companions sagged with relief.

She didn't know _why_ they looked so relieved... An entire tree had fallen on top of them after getting struck by lightning. Either God was trying His hardest to help them, or He had a grudge against them...

"So," Ylva dropped her head back against the wall of ice behind her and breathed a laugh as she unknowingly voiced Elsa's thoughts. "Either the gods, Thor in particular, are cheering us on or booing us off. Either way, that bought us some time while they go report back to the alpha... _they'll be back_, though."

Now that they weren't in danger, Elsa was reminded of they were there in the first place, and fury flooded veins. "_I don't care_," She said more sternly than she had ever spoken to her friend. "What I care about is that you left, after you promised me you wouldn't!"

The girl immediately shrunk. "Sorry..."

"Sorry isn't good enough!" She told her angrily. "Do you know how scared I was?!"

"Probably about as scared as _I_ was when the wolves turned to you...?" She raised a torn brow before the other also drew up in concern. "Speaking of which, are you okay...?"

Elsa glared. "Don't try to get out of this."

"I'm not." She mumbled weakly.

"You promised. You promised me you wouldn't do this, but you did, anyways! You-_you-!_"

"_Me_." She tried to joke weakly.

The blonde was having none of it as she grabbed her by the collar of her shirt. "What if I had been too late? What if I hadn't found you in time? _What if you had died?!_"

"You probably would be better off...?" She offered meekly, flinching as the blonde's grip on her collar tightened.

Elsa had to grit her teeth to keep from snapping at the girl. "I _would not be better off_," She told her firmly, not noticing as her voice cracked. "How could you think that? You are my best friend, and I would be devastated. Why is it that you can't ever seem to understand that simple fact?"

"I..." Ylva faltered and frowned, shifted up, grabbing the blonde's face and wiping away tears that Elsa hadn't even realized had started falling. Her brows drew up in concern as leaned closer. "_No, no, no_, don't cry, _please...?_ I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I was just... I wanted to _help_. This-this seemed like the best option for everyone, and no one really cares if I die, so-"

"_I care_." She cut in, ignoring the tremor in her voice as she continued. "_Anna_ cares. Kristoff cares. Nearly everyone in the entire _castle_ cares! You have done nothing but given us something to look forward to! I-!"

Her brows drew together. "Hold on a second..."

The blonde tried not to look insulted. "No, you need to hear this _now_."

"No, seriously," Ylva grabbed her arm and pulled it up, a concerned look growing on her face that quickly turned distressed. "Elsa, you're _bleeding!_"

She tried to wave it off. "It's nothing."

"_No_, it isn't nothing!" Her eyes grew panicked as she gently pulled the arm closer to inspect it. "Why didn't you say something?"

"It's nothing," She insisted, face warming from her concern. "Merely a scratch."

A short whine left the girl before she backed up, grabbed her shirt and started to...

Face turning red, Elsa quickly covered her face with her free hand to avoid looking at the girl who was suddenly _lifting her shirt_. "_What are you doing?!_" She heard a quiet grunt and the sound of cloth ripping, and then her cut arm got pulled away.

"This might sting a bit..."

Something wet and warm ran across the cut, and after a couple strokes over her cut, she peeked through her fingers to see what it was, she very nearly fainted as her hand dropped and she stared at her bewilderedly, face flaming.

Ylva faltered before pulling away a bit, tongue still out as she quirked a brow at the dumbstruck queen. She turned to look at Bjorn questioningly, but the wild dog just cocked his head to the side, just as confused as the cursed girl. Finally shrugging at the dog, who gave a clumsy mimic of a shrug in return, she spat off to the side before giving the blonde a curious look. "Why are you looking at me like that...?"

Her breaths were shuddery as she tried to keep her cool. "You... _what are you doing?_"

She blinked cluelessly. "Uh... cleaning the cut...?"

"That's not..." Elsa took a deep breath and willed her flaming face to stop burning. "That's not what people... that's not how people do that..."

Tensing up, Ylva's face slowly, steadily turned red. "It-it's not...? You're kidding..."

"No..."

She slapped her hands to her face, shrouding the space in total darkness as she groaned sheepishly. "Aw man... Wh-what, I didn't... _Oops?_"

It went silent for a minute or two as Ylva festered in her embarrassment, and after a bit the blonde began to feel bad for her. So... "Don't worry about it," She breathed, brushing a pale strand from her face. "You meant well, and that is what matters."

Ylva made a face as she opened her eyes and bathed the space in dim light. "Yeah, I suppose..." Glancing down at her hands, she twisted the cloth she had torn. "Well... I got it cleaned up, anyway. I suppose I should use this..." Grabbing her arm again, she inspected it in the dim light, only to tut. "Missed a spot_._"

The blonde's face enflamed again as her arm was licked. Again. "_Ylva_."

"I got most of it already, I might as well finish!" She flushed as she turned the arm in her grasp a couple of times before turning to Bjorn. "Does it look clean enough...? He sniffed the wound and gave a whining growl. She furrowed a brow in response. "What, really...? You think it needs more? I thought I got it pretty..." She trailed off as he gave a small yip, only to scoff. "_I am not_."

"What did he say...?"

The girl huffed before beginning to wrap her arm. "Nothing..." Bjorn gave a short, playful growl, and Ylva shot him a look. "I'm not telling her what you said!" Another yip, and he nudged her leg with his snout. "She's not my alpha!" An ear twitch, and she grimaced. "Humans don't do the whole dominance things like we do." He gave a short bark, and she flushed. "What did I just say?! They don't - I'm not-I'm not _mounting_ her!"

Her eyes went wide and she jerked back. "_What?!_"

"_I'm not!_" Ylva defended, "He thinks I'm in your pack, which I'm not!" She turned to glare sharply. He snuffed, and her eye twitched as she looked down and finished tying the makeshift bandage, adding shortly. "We're not mates, either."

Elsa flushed. "What on Earth - _why are you two talking about that?_"

Her brows furrowed. "Why _are_ we talking about that?" She turned to the wolf. "I know that things like this are a big thing and we' have to catch up, but _right now?_ We're in a glacier for the gods' sake." His ears lowered and he gave a short whine, and she rolled her eyes in response. "We're not dying in here, you silly pup, so _no_, we don't have to catch up on each other's lives right now."

Despite herself, her lips curled up. "He thinks we're going to die in here...?"

"Yeah," Ylva snorted and moved to get up, only to drop back down as they both suddenly realize that Elsa was _in her lap_. They both gave sheepish grins and laughs as they separated, and Ylva pulled her two shirts back down. She looked back up at the tree covering the opening. "We're not, though... Really, we've been in worse, I'm a bit offended that he thinks I would let us go out like this."

As her thief pulled a grappling hook seemingly out of no where, Elsa gave a bewildered look. "Do you always have that you...?"

"Pretty much, yeah," She flashed a small smile in the dim light before getting to her feet. "So here's the plan: I throw the hook, climb up, cut out an opening big enough for us to squeeze through, climb back down, grab Bjorn, and then we climb back up and out. Any questions?"

The blonde blinked, standing up. "Yes, actually... do you have enough rope for all of that...?"

"_Hopefully_."

Her stomach dropped as she stared up at her blankly. "That was a joke, right? _Please say right..._"

Ylva laughed, albeit a bit nervously. "Well, I _probably_ have enough rope. I'd been meaning to get more, but... Yeah. No promises... _if nothing else_, I can cut notches into the ice and we can climb up the wall of ice." She gave another weak laugh. "That's not the real concern, actually... the _real_ thing I'm worried about is falling and having the ice shelf fall from the force of it."

Elsa subtly made the ice below their feet thicker as she nodded slowly. "Maybe there's a different way we could do this...?"

"Well," The girl hummed as she leaned forward and gently pulled her cloak closer around the queen. "Unless you can magically move the tree and pull rope out of your dress, this is the only thing I can think of at the moment." She glanced down at her belt and patted it a couple of times before her eyes lit up-more specifically, her cursed one lit up. Putting a small wax paper bundle in the blonde's hands, she smiled proudly. "I was saving these for an occasion, and I figure now is a good a time as any. Open it."

Casting her friend a curious look, she twisted the tie off and opened the paper to see a small pile of... well, she couldn't really see too well...

"_Chocolate_." Ylva said lightly, nuzzling the blonde's shoulder before snagging one and popping it into her mouth. "The woman who owns the candy shop...? I helped her after a courier dropped some boxes of her shipment in the streets. She likes me... she thinks I'm crazy, I think, but she likes me. She gave me that as a thank you, so I'm giving it to you to help calm your nerves. And as a gift, because I've never gotten you one, so if I end up falling and dying then at least I gave you _something_."

Exhaling, she gave the shorter a worried look. "Please don't say that..."

Chuckling an apology, she backed up and began spinning the grappling hook until it was a blur, and tossed it up into the tree. As it got caught, Ylva gave a small cheer. "We _do_ have enough rope!"

Elsa watched as the girl grabbed the rope. She pulled herself up fine with her right hand, but when she started to pull herself with her left, a hiss of pain left her and she dropped, landing on her knees with a muffled yelp as the blonde dropped the chocolates without a second thought.

Racing over and helping her up, she took the armored girl's left arm with care, hurriedly asking, "Are you alright, what is it?"

The shorter gave a strangled noise of pain as she rolled her wrist. "I guess I landed on my wrist, and it decided to start hurting right when I need it..." She grimaced. "_Perfect_," She breathed sarcastically, "Just what I wanted to happen right now..."

Concern flooded her as she looked between her face and her wrist. "Is it broken?"

"No, no," She scoffed and tried to wave it off with the hand in question, only to wince and change her mind, opting to use her other hand as she nonchalantly spoke, "Trust me when I say that it's not broken... Just a bruise, probably. Still good to climb." She made a face, adding quieter, "Probably..."

The queen tried not to deadpan as she quoted, "_Probably_."

"Don't worry, don't worry," Ylva lifted her two shirts to get to her undershirt and ripped another strip all the way around with her teeth, back to the queen as she did so, before turning back to her and holding up the strip with a sheepish smile. As Elsa wrapped her wrist, she began talking again. "I've done this before... I just need it tied so that I don't forget and try to use it and end up falling from the shock of pain."

She stared. The more Ylva talked, the more it occurred to Elsa that this plan was likely to fail... She thought about confessing about her powers for a moment, for surely her friend had figured it out...

But then the shorter grabbed one of her hands and nuzzled it, and Elsa knew with relief in her heart and anguish in her mind. Her thief still didn't know... She wouldn't do that if she knew about the powers, because there would be no way for her to know the level of control Elsa had. And as much as Elsa hated being the damsel in distress again, she loved those little actions of affection more.

If she didn't absolutely have to, why lose them? Why lose the warm shock of arms wrapping around her middle before she was told an animated story? Why lose the spontaneous shoulder nuzzles...?

She didn't want to. Not yet... And though she wanted to help, she wanted to make Ylva sit down while she parted the crevice into an icy staircase that lead to the top, to impress her friend with her powers, _she wanted things to stay the same_, more. Because how could anyone that wasn't Anna (bless her heart) put their complete and utter faith, unwavering trust in someone like _her?_

Surely it couldn't happen...

And so, she held her tongue as she watched the armored girl pull herself up with her right arm. Because she knew what happened when people knew. Because there have been more than enough times of people not knowing and kissing her hand and trying for physical contact, before learning about her powers and suddenly doing everything they could to avoid touching her.

That was how it was. That was how it had to be.

* * *

"I'm right here," Ylva assured from below her. "I'm not going anywhere."

Elsa's hand nearly slipped, and her breath caught as she clung to the rope, so close to the top, but it still seemed so far... "What if I fall?"

Her voice was firm but gentle. "I'll catch you. I will _not_ let you fall, ever. Onward and upward, your majesty... we're nearly there. You're doing great."

The blonde nodded vigorously to herself, ignoring the slight tremor in her arms as she climbed up, using her legs to anchor herself before using her arms to pull herself up more as Ylva had instructed her to do.

When her hands touched the rough fronds from the pine tree, she exhaled in relief. And when she clambered through the opening, noting how Ylva had taken the time to crudely weave the flexible branches to form makeshift ladder rungs, and when she was finally out on solid ground, she nearly cried with relief.

Bjorn gave a short yelp as he was pushed, all but thrown up and out, and gave a huff as he shook himself.

Elsa moved back to the tree, carefully stepping on thick branches and to the opening, where Ylva was just beginning to crawl out. She grabbed her hand out helped pull her out, but halfway through, her foot got stuck and she fell back, bringing the weary girl with her as she tumbled back and into the snow that had accumulated while they had been in the crevice due to Elsa's worries.

Ylva blinked from above her, both hands on either side of her head as a sheepish smile crossed her face before she rolled off and plopped onto her back with a heavy breath of relief. "We're alive..." The girl faltered and suddenly lifted her head. "_We_ are alive, which includes me..." Her brows furrowed as she dropped her head again. "I'm not sure how I feel about that."

"Not as good as you should." The blonde answered shortly, turning to look at her friend. "And now that we have a moment, I want to tell you something seriously..." Waiting until she looked at her, she said sternly, "Don't you ever, ever, _ever_ do that to me again. You are not dying today, tomorrow, or any time in the near future. Do you understand me?"

Breathing a laugh, she nodded. "Yes, I understand... I won't," She reached up and put a hand over her forehead. "Not if you're going to come tearing out after me in a _nightgown_... I don't think I could handle having to deal with that much stress and worry for a second time..." Her brows drew together. "Speaking of which, how did you find me...?"

"I woke up after feeling something brush across my cheek." The queen gave a pointed look before sitting up. "Someone saying goodbye, perhaps...?"

The armored girl flushed. "Yeah... but... how did you wake up...? I was sure that I was being quiet enough."

"I'm a light sleeper."

She snorted and raised a brow. "Sorry, but... _lies_. I've fallen asleep on you more than once, remember...? I've tripped over my belt and made more noise than cannon fire, but you stayed asleep. I've jerked up, sent the whole bed jumping with me, and you didn't wake..." With a wry smile, she said, "Either you are a liar, or you were really, really tired... Or I just make you _that_ comfortable."

Elsa glared playfully, smile tugging at her lips as she opened her mouth to retort, only to stop as a finger went over her lips. Ylva shushed her before dropping her finger. "But anyway... we should probably start heading back."

So they did.

But as they got off of the glacier, Elsa noticed that her thief looked a bit paler than usual... At her questioning, the girl merely shrugged off her concerns and just restated that they should get moving. _So they did_.

As they did, she notice Ylva slowly but steadily started walking at an increasingly slower pace, looked more weary, but she merely insisted that they keep going when asked about it.

When they came upon the path to Arendelle, when they could see the castle peeking up from the line of trees, that was when the shorter staggered. Before Elsa could ask what was wrong, the girl mumbled and dropped to her knees while wavering in place, "_Don't feel too hot_... 'M gonna stay here, you go n' get me later... I'll be okay..."

She face-planted into the snow without another word, and that was when she saw it. The blood trail following Ylva's foot prints, the dark, shiny liquid-blood-soaking the back of her shoulder and leg. Panic filled her as she cried out. "_Ylva!_"

Racing over, she slid to her knees and picked the girl up, gingerly pulling her to her chest while turning her over and brushing the snow off of her face. She was almost as pale as Elsa, and so cold... Bjorn bounded over and whined, nudging the girl's face.

"'M fine..." She mumbled, hand twitching, eyes seemingly glued shut as she slurred. "Keep goin' w'thout me, 'm fine."

"_You are not fine!_" Elsa hissed, pulling her closer as she shrugged off the cloak and wrapped her friend in it. "Why didn't you say you were hurt?!"

"Didn' know..."

A distraught cry left the blonde as she brushed her friend's black hair from her face. "How do you not know something like that?!"

She curled closer to the queen that was, for the first time, warmer than her and swallowed thickly, but didn't answer. The wolf let out a sharp whine as he turned to look at Elsa imploringly, and when she made a distressed noise, he turned towards Arendelle and let out a howl.

Elsa shifted and bundled the girl into her arms as best as she could. As she noticed the snow that began swirling about, reflecting her emotions, she groaned with frustration. The last thing she needed was for it to get colder and start snowing!

Willing herself to calm down, she half-carried, half-dragged the smaller girl down the path while Bjorn bounded about, wanting to help but unable to.

After a several minutes, she glanced back to see her progress, only to have her shoulders drop. They were making good progress... or rather, they would be if they were out on a midnight stroll! At the rate she was going, Ylva was going to bleed out and die!

Clouds began to cover the sky and snow began to fall in heavier flakes, and just as she was about to curse herself for her powers, she heard Bjorn's bark, and he took off into a limping sprint down the path. As she began to think that things were even _worse_, she heard an odd noise and froze.

Straining her ears and unconsciously pulling her unconscious friend closer, her brows furrowed as she tried to place the noise as it sounded again, closer.

Was that... a _whinny...?_

Bjorn came leaping out of the bushes, tail wagging furiously as he panted at her. Elsa shot the traitor a look. "Where did you run off to?"

A loud snort from behind her was her answer, and she whirled around only to come face to snout to - _oh_...

Ingvar flicked his ruined ear before tossing his large head and snorting again, eyes fixed on the unconscious girl in her arms.

Turning back to Bjorn, nearly crying with relief, she breathed shakily. "_You're forgiven for leaving_. Good boy, Bjorn, good boy..."

The pale wolf seemed to smile at her as his tongue lolled out the corner of his mouth, giving a small yip before going over and nudging her booted calf.

She smiled at him before moving to the large mule's side and heaving Ylva up onto his back before moving to go up, herself, only to falter as she heard Bjorn's quiet whine of protest. She turned to look at the wild dog, whose ears were folded back as he watched her pitifully, and she heaved a sigh. "Oh, _fine_... come here, you silly mutt."

Ears raising again as he wagged his tail, he bounded over. The queen haphazardly held him under one arm as she pulled herself onto the mule, and she moved Ylva so that she was sitting up instead of laying over Ingvar like a hunted deer. Bjorn squirmed into Ylva's lap and gave another happy bark as Elsa reached around to keep a hand around his front to keep him from falling before speaking to the mule. "Thank you... please, take us to the castle."

Ingvar snorted and gave a small whinny, nodding his head before taking off into a run.

* * *

**Author's note~**

**Woo... Guys, I love you, and I love writing this story, but... I'm gonna have to slow down on the lightning updating. Staying up until 4 in the mo-foin' AM isn't good for me. And by the time it's that late, I'm spending more time fighting to stay awake than I am writing, anyways. I'm the artist for a comic, and I've been putting off drawing it for like... three hundred and ninety six years. Little bit of an exaggeration, right, but you got my point, yeah? Yeah. Not to worry, though! I'm still gonna be updating pretty damn quick, I think. Just not... a chapter every day, quick.**

**So. DEM REVIEWS. Guiz, you gotta stop being so nice because I woke up and read them all, and I had this dopey grin on my face for almost two hours, and now i think my dad is seriously starting to question my mental health. I'M DROWNING IN LOVE AND I DOn'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. LET ME LOVE YOU asdfjhksdgl  
**

**Anyway, enough of Blue's crazy-ass rambling. Sorry for my bunk writing, hope it's okay, love you guys, I'M OUT. And since it's come to my attention that I'm not the only one who likes my stupid puns... **

**_Bear with me guys _**** ʕ´ᴥ`ʔ**

******, _Blue_**


	14. Chapter 14

Ylva had gotten bitten when she had rushed over to help her. Twice...

The doctor had said that it looked like she had just ripped the beasts off, tearing the flesh in a way that made it difficult for the wounds to close. One that tore through the muscles through her shoulder blade, and the other was on, _for lack of better word_, the left side of her... rump. And a large assortment of a variety of bruising, particularly on her left wrist.

The doctor had said she hadn't felt the... _lower_ bite because of placement. It was a fleshy part that didn't tend to bring much pain when cut into. He hadn't really understood how she couldn't have felt the one on her shoulder... Luckily, though, it was shallow and would heal just fine so long as she didn't open the wounds.

As Elsa had suspected, she had merely fallen victim to blood-loss; '_a slow killer'_, the doctor had said. Luckily, she gotten there when she did. He had said that she just needed time to rest. Plenty of fluids and hearty food when she woke.

Anna and Kristoff had both nearly had heart attacks when a servant had come and told them, and had nearly torn the door from its hinges when they had burst in, full of questions and worries... _Especially_ when they had seen her in her bloody, torn nightdress that she had yet to change out of.

The queen didn't mind it, though. It was a distraction, and a welcome one at that, from her thoughts. She tended to overthink things and she knew it... but that still didn't stop her overactive mind from going to what the worst could have been, over and over and over again when it was quiet.

But Anna and Kristoff visited often, so that wasn't a terribly common thing. And Bjorn, well... he stayed by Ylva's side nearly as much as Elsa, save for the times he would leave to relieve himself. He seemed to know when her thoughts would stray to darkness, and would give a comically loud groaning sigh that was usually accompanied by some sort of action, such as rolling over onto his back and stretching with a shuddery groan before he covered his face with his paws.

But as morning had passed, as day had come and gone, as the cloudy day had melted into night, even he had nodded off (even cannon fire wouldn't wake the crashed hound, now), using the corner of her bedpost as a pillow.

Admittedly, she didn't _want_ to think about what could have been... So she studied the animal with a close, critical eye.

He really was a small wolf. And rather scrawny, with his slightly protruding ribs casting jagged shadows over his fur. She was quite sure he was a mountain wolf; or in part, at least, due to his light-colored coat. Pale gray, silvery fur covered his whole body, with a darker gray stripe that went over his body to the tip of his tail that started at his gray, almost blue nose. A few chunks of fur were missing from his pelt sporadically, probably from past injuries.

Elsa gave a quiet sigh as she leaned back into her chair, glancing at her friend for what must have been the thousandth time since she had been put into the bed. She was still on her stomach, unmoved as her concerned, brown eye peeked at her from over the pillow-

"You're awake," Elsa breathed, sagging in the chair in relief for a moment before leaning closer. "How do you feel...?"

Ylva blinked, voice cracking as she joked weakly. "A bit like the time a bear fell on me." She shifted, only to wince and grimace before asking meekly. "I... I'm not dead, am I...?"

Breathing a laugh, she smiled brightly at her. "No, you are very much alive, I can assure you." She faltered for a moment, just staring at her with a relieved smile before jumping and grabbing the cup on the bedside table. "You must be thirsty."

As she was helped up, she flashed a sheepish smile. "Quite a bit, yeah." Elsa put the cup to her lips and helped her drink, before setting the cup back down and helping her ease back onto the bed. "I'm not made of glass, you know." She reminded her lightly, grunting as she dropped her face into the pillow and mumbling a question into it.

Elsa quirked a brow. "What...?"

Lifting her head again, she looked over at her. "Were you hurt? Are you okay...?" Her eyes squinted as she studied her. "I feel like I missed something. Like a lot of..." She trailed off, face going blank. Before Elsa could ask what was wrong, she was out of the bed and staggering to the door.

"What on earth-?!" The blonde went after her with a flourish, noting as Ylva immediately leaned on her when she got close enough.

"_I really have to go_." She said hurriedly, trying to make Elsa move faster.

Raising a brow, she asked, "Go...? Go where...?"

"_You know_..." A grimace crossed her face. "I have to _go_."

She stared blankly.

The shorter threw her head back and complained to the ceiling before looking back at her. "I have to _empty the wine bottle_." Nothing, and she made a noise that sounded mostly like a laugh, but also a bit like a sob. "I have to lower the rising tides that threaten to break the shore..."

Still, she didn't get it, and Ylva flushed as she stared at her unamusedly. "_I have to take a piss_."

"Oh." She blinked, only to jump and turn red. "_Oh!_ Right, yes, of course!" She helped the shorter pick up speed as she lead her to the bathroom. "You've been out of it for a whole day, I suppose that would make sense..." When they reached the door to the bathroom, she faltered and turned darker. "Um... do you... need _assistance_...?"

"_No, no, no_," The shorter made a face as she squirmed. "I don't care if I lose an arm and both of my legs; _I can go to the bathroom by myself_, thank you very much. Even if I have to roll my limbless body to do it..." She paused before repeating, with less dryness and more sincerity. "But no, really, _thank you_."

Elsa's lips quirked up and she lightly bowed her head in response, watching in mild amusement as the girl fumbled with the doorknob and staggered in, giggling behind her hand when she heard a thump after the door closed and Ylva let out a string of muffled curses.

Her meek voice filtered through the door. "I can fix that!" Elsa's brow raised as she heard the sound of metal clanging, and another slur. "_I can fix that, too!_" Something dropped, and Ylva cried out in exasperation. "Why is everything in this bathroom so _damn_ fragile?!" Another thump. "_Shit!_"

The queen couldn't hold in her laughter as her friend called out.

"_It's not as bad as it probably sounds from out there, I swear!_"

* * *

Ylva made a noise of distress as she stepped back into Elsa's room. "Wait, I was in _here_ the whole time...? Stealing your bed?" She shot the blonde an accusing look. "I sleep in a _tree_. You could have dumped me in a corner and I would have been fine..."

"Never." She tried not to look appalled as she helped the shorter back into the bed, only to raise a brow and smile in amusement as the girl ducked under her arms and just plopped onto the bed with little grace. "And you should probably be more careful..."

Groaning into the thick blanket, the girl simply waved her off before lifting her head and craning her neck to look at Elsa. "So, can I...? You never answered my question."

"You're injured and you lost a lot of blood." She playfully rolled her eyes before moving to her bookcase and looking through the various titles. "Making you stay and rest, rather than letting you go and..." She glanced back with a raised brow. "_What was it you wanted to do_...?"

She mumbled into the blanket. "Help Gunnar sharpen some blades."

"Right." Nodding to herself, she rolled her eyes."You can barely stand on your own, yet you want to go and do that...?"

"_Yes_."

"Well, no." She fought the urge to giggle as her thief gave a loud but muffled whine, and she struggled to keep her voice firm. "You nearly bled out less than twenty-four hours ago. You're resting. Period."

Ylva whined again and dropped her head again before squirming to the other side of the bed and patting the now empty spot. "Come on, then..." She faltered as a thought hit her. "And is Bjorn okay...? He looked a bit, erm... _dead_."

"He's just tired," Laughing into her hand, she told her, "We've both been awake ever since we have arrived here. He fell asleep an hour or so ago, don't worry..."

"How long is '_ever since we got here_,' exactly...?"

She answered without thinking, perhaps from having not a minute of sleep since she had awoken the night before when she had woken to an empty room and a despair-filled heart. "Twenty hours, at least, over a day at the most."

She immediately realized her error, but it was too late as Ylva lifted her head and stared with an expressionless look on her scarred face. "_You. Bed._ Get in it, _now_." Her voice was firm with no room for argument, but not quite scolding. It made her feel like she had when she'd been a little girl; when Kai would half-heartedly scolded her for freezing her tutor's tea, scolding more because it was expected of him rather than actually being angry in any way, shape or form.

Elsa went pink, but tentatively got onto the bed, stiffening for a moment as her thief moved closer and dropped her head against her side with a huff.

"You're ridiculous," She muttered. "Forcing yourself to stay up for that long..."

"It actually wasn't forced," The blonde admitted quietly. "I didn't want you to wake up alone."

With a quiet grunt, the girl nudged her side with her cheek before closing her eyes. "Well, I didn't. Thank you..."

Smiling, the blonde relaxed back against the bed. Her hand moved on its own accord, reaching out to put her hand on the girl's head, only to hesitate. After a few second's hesitation, she bit her lip and gently placed it on the top of head, slowly, cautiously testing the waters.

When Ylva shifted in place, she started to pull her hand away with a jolt, only to stop as her thief moved to keep contact. Relief flooded her and she let her hand fall again, lips curving up as a low noise, similar to a purr, left Ylva. Her hands shook when she first started to lightly run her fingers through the ink-colored hair, but after a while the motion soothed her and it became almost second nature as her head dropped back.

She wasn't sure how long she laid there, until a question formed in her increasingly drowsy mind. "Ylva...?"

Said girl grunted. "You should be sleeping."

"I know, I know," Elsa said with unspoken apologies, "But I just wanted to know... on the glacier, before we fell... there was a noise, a roar. A _bear's_ roar. Was that you?" She felt her nod into her side, and she paused before adding, "What did you say?"

The cursed girl hummed. "See, _now_ you're assuming I said something..." As the blonde flushed with embarrassment and started to apologize, she cut her off with a quiet laugh. "_I did_. Say something, I mean..." She could feel the smaller heave a breath before she started talking. "Bear talk is... _complicated_. It's more emotion than actual talk, as opposed to how dog talk is. And I hadn't really intended to say anything, it just came out, but... I said something along the lines of a threat. Something like; _if you lay a tooth on her, I'll skin you all_." Pausing before adding with a small shrug of her uninjured shoulder. "But bear talk is just like that. It's more base emotion, and though one might intend to simply roar, emotion and base thoughts tend to melt and merge with the noise. Mine was just that... I wanted-_had_ to protect you. So it became a threat. And since it was so filled with emotion, it came out like it did and scared the fleas off of them for a moment."

"You're lucky, though," Ylva added as an afterthought. "That you came out as unscathed as you did. They were all really hesitant to attack you, for some reason... Something about how you smelled off, smelled of the ancient's blood...?" She shrugged again. "I don't know what that means... They were all talking at the same time, so I couldn't quite make it out." Lifting her head a bit, she sniffed Elsa's arm before burying her face back into the blonde's side. "_I_ don't get it... you smell fine to me, but then again, I'm just a person. Can't smell quite as much as beasts can."

_And she was really glad for that_, too. Elsa hadn't known that her powers could be recognized by animals, as small of a warning as her smell being off or not...

"And what does that mean, '_ancient's blood_'?"

"I don't know... Mawwi never had the time to explain everything to me. She'd been in the middle teaching me about dogs and their persons before she..." She trailed off, and Elsa returned to running her fingers through her hair in an attempt to comfort her.

The blonde gave a melancholic smile as a short, quiet whine left her friend, opting to change the subject. "Could you tell me more about that...? This 'person' business?"

Ylva must have known what the queen was trying to do, because she peeked up at her with a smile visible in her eyes before she nodded. "Sure. What is it that you want to know?"

"Everything Mawwi taught you, in the order she taught you, if possible."

And with that, Ylva began. Elsa listened intently, trying to memorize the words to heart so she could write them down in the future.

It began with a tale. A story of the beginning that, apparently, was passed down from every generation of dogs, both wild and tamed. _The abridged version_, Ylva had told her sheepishly, as the whole tale took hours to properly regale.

When humans had first started to become what they were, things had been hard for them. They were furless, clawless, and nearly toothless. Slow, clumsy, and lacking sight, smell, and without any decent hearing to speak of. But they were clever, and they could do many things that the hounds were unable to, and _wasteful_. Tossing out meat and scraps that were perfect for eating...

So, the hounds began to follow the humans, lurking in the shadows, steadily gaining confidence to the point where they would wait out in the open for the scraps that the humans never failed to toss. After a long time of a mutual partnership between the species, one where the hounds would warn the humans of incoming danger and assist them during their hunts, and the humans would feed the hounds and allow them in their strange caves to be safe from the bitter freezes that came and went, the bond between them grew steadily closer. It grew to be more than mutual needs and wants; it grew to the point where they would refer to the other with fondness.

Humans, stupid as they sometimes were when it came to the simplest things (Ylva had flushed and fidgeted when she came to this part), were unable to learn the dog speak. But the hounds, though they couldn't speak it, learned it with increasing ease. Apparently, that was when the basics of human speak became ingrained in hounds, being melted and welded into the crevices of any dog, wild or not, worth its weight in flesh and sinew.

But there was nearly a war. Some of the hounds, same as some of the humans, remained distrustful of each other. And the story went that one of the human's pups wandered to and injured one of the wolves, which nipped the pup in warning. Yet a human saw, and as humans often did, overreacted to something that was more or less insignificant.

Some of the humans stood up for their furred companions, but the damage was done. Some, too prideful, too unwilling to bend to the shape humans wanted them in, left. The ones that remained formed bonds with certain people.

Yet, a few of them... they formed bonds the likes of which that neither species had ever seen. When one of the wolves and one of the humans formed the bond, it didn't matter that they couldn't communicate. It was as though they were linked to one another, and a gesture as simple as a shake of the head or a twitch of the ear could speak volumes for the other.

Of course, some mishaps were made... but such was life. It came to the point where such a bond was desired by hound and human alike, though it was of more importance, held in higher esteem to hounds. Even today, it was something every hound hoped for, deep down. Finding _their person_.

As Ylva began to tell about how those bonded had a special connection, about how when they were together they could do extraordinary, amazing, miraculous things, a thought struck the blonde.

"So, what about you?" Elsa questioned, snapping her friend from her slightly dazed state as she interrupted her recollections.

Ylva blinked, evidently still a bit entwined in her story. "I... _what?_"

"You're not a hound." She reminded her amusedly. "You're a person. You told me before that you were told to give people your everything so you could find your person. How can you find your person if you _are_ a person...?"

Propping herself up a bit and dropping her chin in the palm of her hand, she pouted a bit. "You know, I asked Mawwi that _exact_ question..."

"So what did she say?" The blonde prompted lightly.

A huff left her and she pouted more prominently, sliding her head from her hand and dropping into the blanket, a series of slightly muffled groans and huffs and a whine.

"Was that supposed to be from frustration, or were you telling me what she said without translating it first...?" An amused smile crossed her face as the girl lifted her head again, a sheepish look on her face.

"Didn't translate, sorry," She cleared her throat before saying, "_It's the same concept, only different. You'll know when the time comes_." Her brows drew together as she shot the blonde a dry look. "And that was all that she said. How vague and useless is that?"

Elsa tried not to laugh as the girl huffed. "So what are you going to do if and when you find your person?"

"I don't know."

"_How_ are you going to know you've found your person?"

She hesitated, mismatched eyes flicking up to meet hers before looking away, brows furrowing as she said thoughtfully. "Mawwi said I would know, but I don't... I could have met them already, I could have met them _years_ ago; but I don't know."

"Is there anything you _do_ know...?"

Ylva faltered, opening her mouth to answer, only to shut it again as she contemplated to herself silently. Elsa waited patiently, watching the girl think because even _that_ was fascinating. Her eyes really were an open door to her thoughts, and she could practically make out whole monologues just by watching the way her eyes shifted and lit up, the way her face twisted and twitched.

Finally, the girl seemed to come to a decision and nodded. "I'm going to be happy." Adding sheepishly, "Not that I'm already not happier than I've ever been, just... _you know_. More. If that's possible." Shooting the blonde a weary look, she asked tentatively. "Now would you _please_ sleep? Seriously, staying up for so long isn't good for anyone."

"Alright, fine..." Elsa stifled a yawn, corners of her mouth twitching up as the thief dropped her head into the blankets with little grace, blindly reaching out. After a few attempts, her warm hand grabbed hers and dropped it onto her head. With a smile and a small laugh, the queen started running her fingers through her hair again, silently reveling at the soft texture against her fingers as she beamed at the girl nuzzling her side. "Goodnight, Ylva..."

She grumbled something that sounded somewhat similar to a reply before going silent, back slowly rising and falling with her breaths.

All went still, and as the queen's eyelids began to grow heavy, Ylva mumbled into her side.

"_You should let me teach you and Anna how to fight, later.._."

Her eyes shot open wide, and her head jerked up as she stared at her friend bewilderedly. "What?!"

A silent snore was her answer.

* * *

**Author's note~**

**Ew ._. I just really don't like this chapter. Maybe it's because I've rewritten it like three times... I was gonna have them read '_Beauty and the Beast_', and then I was just gonna have Elsa lay it on Ylva and make Ylva feel bad and shtuff, and then there's this shite right here. I wanna rewrite it again, but... SO. LAZ. Blegh... But yeah. Elsa's gonna show off her moves in a bit, yo. You'll see what I'm talking about. And I ain't talking about dance moves, either.  
**

**SO. I can hear the chorus of groans at the fact that Ylva STILL doesn't know. Yeah. I know... It's starting to get to me, too :I I had never intended for this story to go on as long as it has... It was gonna be like five chapters. We all see how THAT plan went. fucking glib glob it...  
**

**Sorry 'bout this mess right here. Hope it's not TOO bad :\ I'm actually a little nervous to put this one up... kinda thought we at that point of the relationship where I didn't stress about putting up a chapter because I'm worried it's really, really bad, but hey. Ya see something new everyday, I reckon :P  
**

**Please try to bear with me, guys ******** ʕ´ᴥ`ʔ**

**********, _Blue_**


	15. Chapter 15

"And _duck!_"

Anna faltered mid-swing with her wooden sword in both hands, confused eyes immediately going to the ground. "Duck? Where do you see a du-_ow!_" The training sword bonked her in the head, a _lot_ lighter than the swinger could have struck.

Elsa and Ylva both flinched before rushing over, the queen with much more swiftness and grace, however, as she gingerly moved to inspect where she had gotten struck.

The hooded girl gave the swinger in question, a disgruntled and sweaty Kristoff, a look and jerked her head off to where the bench was before holding out her hand in a '_give me_' motion. "Take a break, Toff-Toff."

Heaving a breath, the burly blonde trudged over and dropped the wooden sword into her hand. "Remind me why _I_ have to do this, too, again...?"

"Because when you do I stress that much less, and you love me...?" She offered, partially serious, partially joking. He glared down at her and gave a sour look, slumping in place as she snorted and teased him. "Aww, are you pouting, baby boo...?"

Kristoff scowled, but with him one couldn't tell if he was joking or not. "_No_..."

"You are!" Ylva grinned and chuckled as he lightly pushed her. The two waved each off before the girl turned back to the royal sisters and limped over. "Are you alright, Anna?"

The redhead pouted and sighed overdramatically. "I might be able to push on... _if Elsa will kiss it better_." She turned to the blonde expectantly, who went pink.

"_Really_, Anna?" Elsa asked with a playful roll of her eyes.

Anna rolled her eyes right back. "_Really_." Once the queen had begrudgingly pressed a small kiss against her copper hair, Anna turned to Ylva expectantly, ignoring Elsa's indignant cry as she wobbled her lower lip.

Ylva blinked cluelessly. "What... you want _me_ to do that - what she just did?"

"_Yes_."

Staring for a few moments. the pelt-covered girl asked curiously, "Is this some kind of strange human custom people do when they're hurt...?" At the redhead's bright smile and nod, she shrugged and kissed her head without a second thought.

As Elsa slapped her palm to her forehead and bit back a spark or irritation, her sibling added. "Oh, and Elsa got a papercut on her finger this morning, so you should kiss that better, too."

Every muscle in her went tense as the hooded girl grabbed her hand and pressed her lips against her pointer finger. Her other hand, clenched tight into a fist, shook as ice coated her palm - the equivalent of her hands getting sweaty as her face went red.

Either Ylva didn't notice that the blonde was blushing, or she just didn't really care as she flashed the taller a small smile before turning to Anna while idly swinging the sword in her right hand. "Alright, then, Anna. Since neither you nor Toff-Toff were paying enough attention, I suppose I'm going to have to be your partner..."

"Actually," Anna chimed cheerfully, shooting the still frozen in place queen a look before grinning back at Ylva. "I'm think I'm gonna take five, too."

Arms falling, the girl slumped as her practice sword hung loosely in her grasp. "_What?_ But we-we kissed it better!" She protested, lower lip jutting out a bit as she whined. "I promise I'm not going to hit you like Kristoff did..."

"_Hey!_" Came the man's indignant cry.

Giggling, the redhead grinned and poked the pouting girl. "I'm sure you wouldn't have, but I'm getting kinda tired." She chirped, "You can spar with Elsa!"

Said woman jerked, eyes wide as Anna shoved her practice sword into her elder sibling's hand. "Wait, what?"

"We're sparring, my fair and lovely Ice Queen of Arendelle," Ylva gave a wry grin at the blonde's apparent brain fart, bowing slightly with a flourish. "_On guard._"

Before the shorter could move, however, Elsa frowned in response and lowered her weapon, brows curving in concern. "Wait, no, _we_ are not. You're still injured!"

"Which is exactly why I'm going to go easy on you." She replied in a hurry, moving to spar only to get stopped again.

"_Ylva_, you'll open your wounds. Again..."

She pouted. "It was _one time!_"

"Regardless, it took _ages_ to stop the bleeding." The queen reminded her lightly before saying firmly. "We are not sparring."

"It wasn't my fault, though," She groaned, letting her head loll back. "Ingvar pushed me while I was trying to steal some cookies, and I tripped over a spoon... It's better, now!"

"It _was_ your fault! It was literally _the_ morning after you woke up, and you had staggered out without me!" Elsa faltered and gave her a look. "But that's besides the point; it's only been a week..."

"_Exactly!_" The hooded girl started to try and prove herself right, only to trail off as the taller shot her an only partially-playing glare. Her mouth opened and closed a few times before she heaved and exasperated sigh and walked closer until she was right in front of her, dropping her chin on the blonde's shoulder as she murmured into her ear, unknowingly sending the woman into a fit of blushing. "_Elsa_. I know you're worried and that I scared you; that's why I've been doing nothing but laying on my stomach and letting you feed me and everything... But I've got so much pent energy I could run to the North Mountain and back. So just let me do this one thing, please...? I promise I'll be careful."

"I..." Elsa tried to compose herself and cleared her throat, unconsciously moving an arm up and around the shorter's middle. "Okay..."

Her whoop jolted her from her dumbstruck state, and Ylva ducked under the blonde's arm and stepped back before popping the sword's pommel with her forearm and sending it into the air, catching it in her other hand with a grin. Rolling back on the balls of her feet, she tossed the sword back into her right hand before bowing with a flourish. "First, I want to see how good you are before anything. So... _bring it_," She paused, cocking her head to the side a bit before yelling without turning away from Elsa, "Anna, Kristoff, I don't know what you're whispering about, but I swear if you make Toff-Toff help you prank me, Anna-"

"_We're not!_" The redhead called back.

With a grunt, the girl shrugged and motioned for Elsa to come on. "Let's just start with the basic swings and stri-_oh!_"

The blonde had moved before she could finish talking, swinging thrice and giving a subtle huff as Ylva had blocked them all.

A smile tugged on her lips, and she hummed thoughtfully. "Very nice."

"_Thank you_." Elsa bit back the urge to give a smug smile and moved again to strike her.

And just like that, _they were off_. It became less of a practice sparring, and more of a dance. A _game_. Elsa moved about and around her, idly swinging as she looked for an opening, and Ylva blocked each one as she did the same to her, whirling about on her heel as she nonchalantly threw out praises while her smile steadily grew. The courtyard grew silent, save for Ylva's compliments and the sound of wood banging against wood.

"_Ooh_, nice footwork, right there."

Elsa bit back smiles as they sparred, a thin sheen of sweat forming on her brow as she tried to duck around her and catch her by surprise, only to have her brows twitch closer as the shorter kept speed, and competitiveness began spiking in her belly as she struggled to look for a weak point.

As the queen stepped back to avoid a strike at her legs, the hooded girl gave a laugh. "Very good! Keeping an eye out for stray hits - _smart_..." A short cry of surprise left Elsa as a warm hand loosely grabbed her wrist, and as she tugged her hand out of the grasp Ylva chuckled and wiggled her fingers in a little wave. "But keep an eye out for more than just blades... if I weren't injured, I would have jumped on you and dragged you to the ground, already."

Huffing and sticking her tongue out, Elsa flitted back out of reach as mild, half-hearted irritation tugged at her lips.

"I must say, _you've been impressing me_," The girl confessed. "You just never seem to stop doing that... But this is about to come to an end, see," She took a step closer, lips curling as the blonde stepped back in response, "This pawn is about to take out the queen."

Her mind drifted back to the countless hours of Chess she had played with the girl for the past week after teaching her how to play; to the girl's indignant cry when she had learned that Elsa had been _letting_ her win, and how she had flipped the whole board before demanding that she stop going easy on her and give it her all.

She moved to step back, only to yelp as she realized that she was falling back, landing with a rather unqueenly grunt. When she looked back up, there was the wooden point of a sword in her face, and the holder of said sword had an ecstatic grin, eyes _just_ visible from under the hood.

"Check mate."

Elsa huffed, blowing a stray strand of whitish hair before subtly studying the girl, and a moment of indecision became a moment of _action_ as she smirked. "Not yet..." As the girl cocked her head to the side oh so subtly, her smirk grew. "_Check mate_."

And with that, Ylva's legs were kicked out from underneath her. The realization of her error hit her like a ton of bricks as soon as she finished the action, and she hurriedly sat up as the girl spun herself in the air and landed with a gasp of air escaping her.

As she landed flat on her belly, using her right forearm to take most of the landing's force with a dazed look slapped on her face, Elsa cried out and scrambled to the girl. "_Oh my goodness_, I am so sorry!" She felt very close to crying as her thief's blank eyes met hers. "I don't know what came over me, I just-!" She choked on her own breath and hugged the girl to her chest.

Ylva's head lolled back limply, but before Elsa could stress anymore, the girl rasped, "Holy mother of... wow."

"What..?"

"_Wow!_" She all but cackled as she lifted her head to beam. "That was so-so-_so-!_ Color me impressed, your majesty, because that was amazing! _You're_ amazing. Woah..."

Fighting the blush on her face from the praise, she ventured meekly. "Did I hurt you...?"

"Hurt me?!" Ylva barked a laugh. "Ha! The only thing you could have possibly hurt is my pride, and even then I can't find it in me to have that hurt because that was absolutely _brilliant!_ You're a natural... Have you done this before?"

The blonde flushed as she fidgeted. "No..."

"You are inhuman." Dropping her hands on the queen's shoulders, she lightly moved her back and forth. "You are _magic_."

Fear squeezed at her heart like an ice-cold fist and she tried not to look mortified as she hurriedly pulled her hands away, color draining from her face. "W-what?"

"You're perfect!" The hooded girl continued, either not noticing Elsa's fear-stricken state or not mentioning it as she continued. "You are brilliant, talented, you have a voice like an angel, you're probably the kindest person I've ever met, and gorgeous and a _natural swordsman_. Save some skills for the rest of us, would you?!" She laughed. "Next thing I know, you're going to have _wings!_"

The girl started dropping back, and Elsa let out a small yelp as she grabbed her by the shirt and pulled her back to keep her from dropping her head back on the cold, hard ground.

Ylva continued on like she _hadn't_ almost given herself a concussion. "You and me, we need to _actually_ spar one of these days when I get healed up enough so that you don't stress over every little action I do." Shooting the blonde a near awestruck look, she grinned. "You... _wow_. Just wow. I'm wondering if I should be in awe or in fear..."

Giving a wry, tentative smile, the blonde told her quietly, "Well... I would _hope_ you would be in awe."

Using a single finger to lift the snout of her hood just a bit, eyes alight with recognition as her thief's smile turned soft, fond, and she lightly nudged her. "Not to worry, for I most certainly am in awe and awe, alone." She chuckled, rubbing her tanned cheek against Elsa's coat-covered shoulder before getting to her feet and helping the woman up. Once they were both stable on their feet, she put a hand over her heart and laughed. "_Whew_... what a rush. My stomach is all bubbly and my heart is about to beat out my chest... That was fun."

Ylva turned to look at the couple sitting on the bench and made a face. "Oh, and thanks for your concern, you two..."

Anna shrugged. "Elsa had you."

"Yup." Kristoff leaned forward and rested his elbow on his knee. "You were in safe hands."

Elsa blanched, but the armored girl didn't notice as she huffed and lowered her hood, saying sarcastically, "Thanks, guys... I feel so loved."

The man snorted and sniggered. "You should..."

* * *

Elsa heaved a breath as she ran a hand through her hair, eying the stack of papers that needed her signature before grabbing the first of the pile. Most of them were from Holden, the captain of the guard, due to the increase in security she's had.

As it had turned out, Ylva had been right to suggest more guard patrols, especially at night. Small, rag-tag groups of wolves have been prodding about at the very outskirts of Arendelle... She knew enough of military strategy, and according to what her thief had informed, had realized they were testing the limits. Seeing how far they could go...

Did it scare her? _A bit_, yes...

The citizens of Arendelle, however, boosted her confidence a bit. They had listened to her, followed her curfew and requirements with very little to no complaints. They trusted that she was doing what was right, and several volunteered to help patrol the streets. And the blacksmith, Gunnar, had been selling weapons at prices so low that he was practically giving them away.

They were by no means a daft lot. They knew... They heard the howls at night, same as she did; they could feel the tenseness in the air, and were waiting just as she was for something big to happen. They were all but preparing for a war...

So deep she was in her contemplation, she didn't notice the door open and then click shut.

And so, when arms draped over her shoulders, the tip of the quill in her grasp became covered in a light sheen of frost as her breath hitched and she jerked, sending her fresh inkwell over the edge of her desk.

"_Woah_," A familiar voice breathed, hand shooting forward and (just barely) catching the small bottle. Planting it firmly back onto the desk as the queen swerved in her chair to look, Ylva sheepishly dropped her arms back to her sides and gave a meek smile. "Sorry...?"

Elsa tried to look disapproving, but knew she was failing and finally just sighed, lips twitching up. "It's fine... Pull up your chair."

Yes, Ylva had her own specific chair, now. The girl had wandered in enough times, sat on the floor and chatted with her as she went through papers and requests, that the queen had finally had a chair put in the room specifically for the thief.

"And for God's sake," The blonde sighed as she plopped into her chair, "Take off your hood... I _hate_ that dreadful thing."

"_Security blanket_," She reminded her lightly, but pushed the head back all the same with a wry smile.

Elsa's lips twitched in distaste. "Could you not find a new security blanket, and just wear your eyepatch...?"

"You would end up hating the eyepatch, too, if I did that." Ylva snorted and grinned. "I swear, I tell you about my curse, show it off some, and now you want me to flash my disfiguration to the world."

Frowning disapprovingly, she scolded gently, "It's not a disfiguration, it's just a bit different..." Her frown deepened as the girl scoffed disbelievingly. "It's unique. Beautiful, even."

"Well, it's '_beauty_' makes people call me a monster and run me away with a weapon in hand." Ylva quirked her ruined eyebrow and gave a small smile. "Don't get me wrong, Elsa, I'm glad that you were able to look past it and find something about it to be less than monstrous, but... I just can't go flashing it around and not expect to be treated as a freak or criminal. That's just how things are." Her brows drew together as the blonde gave a sorrowful look, and she lightly poked her. "It's okay, though," She assured, "I'm more than content knowing that there's at least _one person_ than doesn't mind it."

"You shouldn't _have_ to hide it, though..."

"Maybe you're right," She shrugged, "But that's life. That's the price I have to pay for living. Mine is a bit steeper than the typical person's, maybe, but it's okay. I like to think of it as paying for someone else's troubles, someone who couldn't otherwise be able to handle it..." She joked dryly, "It makes me pity myself a little less."

Elsa knew she had meant it as a joke... but that didn't stop her from putting her quill down and pulling the shorter into a hug.

"_Elsaaa_," Ylva groaned into her shoulder. "I was _kidding_. I don't have the time, don't have nor want to have the effort to pity myself; and if it were anyone but you, I would jump out of this pity-hug without a second thought..."

The blonde bit her lip before pressing her lips against the side of her head and heaving a breath. "This isn't _pity_, it's sympathy."

"Same thing..." She grumbled.

"No, I can assure you it's not." First retreating her hands before pulling away, she frowned a bit more at her before turning her attention back to the stack of papers that awaited her.

It went quiet for a few minutes, both of them separate in their thoughts before Ylva spoke up again. "Can I see your hand?"

"What...?"

The girl flushed but repeated her question. "Can I see your hand? Just your left one, so you can still do your... whatever it is you're doing."

Elsa furrowed her brows and glanced at the free hand that had been resting in her lap. _Well_... she supposed it wouldn't do any harm. She hesitated, a slight action that she prayed the observant girl wouldn't notice, before holding her hand out for her.

A hum left Ylva as she gingerly reached out and grabbed it, and Elsa bit back a flinch as the girl turned her hand over in hers.

At first, she had tried to ignore her small explorations and focus on signing the papers, but finally she sighed and put the quill down before watching Ylva with an air of caution that she hoped didn't show. Her hands were always a bit sensitive... Probably due to the years of hiding them away in gloves. And the thief's actions felt a bit intimate...

Even _Anna_ didn't grab her hands like she did. Anna would always hook her arm around hers, never opting to grip her hands... _Actually_, she took it back. Ylva's actions didn't feel a bit intimate. They felt _really_ intimate.

Feigning mild interest when really _all_ of her interest was in it, she asked, "A coin for your thoughts?"

"Well," Ylva said slowly, a puzzled expression on her face as her mismatched eyes flicked from the hand in her grasp to the queen's blues. "That depends on what you want to hear. Do you want the truth, or what will make you feel more at ease?"

"How about both...?"

With a nod, she turned her attention back to the pale hand in both of hers, running a finger over the knuckles. "This is also a truth, but not what I'm thinking: you have lovely hands." Flashing a small, somewhat forced smile, she told her "It's a bit annoying, sometimes. I _swear_ you're either a god gracing us lowly humans with your presence, or I've just lost my mind and am imagining this as I sit on a bush back out in the wilds."

As Elsa's cheeks went pink, she continued, voice going more solemn. "The truth is, however... You fear your hands." With a shrug, she added, "Or just yourself in general... Well, just touching _me_; but it's all the same thing, I suppose. Same actions and reactions."

And just like that, her heart dropped into her stomach, and she had to force herself to keep her eyes from widening as her teeth gritted. Willing herself to calm down and relaxing her jaw, she pretended to sound amused, near condescending. "Why would you think that...?"

"Because I'm not an idiot." She said dryly, only to falter and add, "Sorry..." Pausing again, her brows drew together. "Actually, no, sorry, but I'm _not_ sorry. A big part of dog speak is body language, and there are very, _very_ few people than have completely mastered control over their body language; because it isn't something anyone can really have control over. Your body acts whether you will it to or not. And even _you_, my fair and lovely Snow Queen, have not lived enough years on this Earth, have not meditated and contemplated enough to control it, though you're still very good at it."

Ice began to form in her veins, and Elsa knew her eyes went wide. She tried to pull her hand away, back stiff, but Ylva kept a firm but gentle grip.

"It's not intentional," Ylva assured her gently, "I know. I'm not offended, because I can also tell that you try your hardest to ignore it, _but it still slips through_." Elsa opened her mouth to speak, to deny, or perhaps just tell her to leave, but the girl frowned and cut her off. "No, no, no, you're going to let me finish, because otherwise I might never get this out."

"I don't know why, and I don't _care_ to know why. But you fear me; more specifically, I think you fear my _reaction_."

The words choked from her throat. "I don't-"

"_You do_."

For the first time in forever, she was stumbling over words as clumsily as Anna. "How-how can you-?"

Ylva shot her a look. "_Very carefully_. Now you listen, okay? You're _allowed_ to touch me. I'm not going to recoil, if that's what you think. So, your hands are a little cold... cold hands, warm heart, right? The cold never bothered me, anyway..."

Her hand tried to pull back as it clenched into a fist to try and control it, conceal it, _not let it show_; but the girl once again proved that she was stronger than she looked and kept her hand open without nary a sign of struggle or effort to do so. Running a near _ridiculously_ warm thumb down the palm of her hand, Elsa's efforts dropped, and she clearly noticed as she threw her a grateful smile.

"You told me to be myself around you, right?" At the blonde's small nod, she nodded right back and looked back at the pale hand in hers. "Well, I'm telling you, now. _Double standards_. You have to be yourself, too. I know you can't help, I know you don't always realize you do it, but stop flinching. If you want to spontaneously hug me, than _do it_. No more of that arm twitching, shaking your head to yourself crap."

Elsa flushed. "You've noticed that...?"

Ylva scoffed and nodded. "_Yeah_. And sometimes when you hug me back, you go out of your way to keep your hands from touching me. _And_ I noticed today that you moved to help me sit up after you kicked my legs out from under me, but you stopped and flinched like you were going to hurt me or something. And-"

"I get it." The blonde grimaced. "I know, I'm sorry..."

She waved it off. "I told you, it's fine, but look... I'm _not scared of you_." Lifting Elsa's hand up, she nuzzled her palm with her cheek. "I'm _never_ going to be scared of you." Flashing a wry smile, she joked, "You could stab me, and I would still come back after I got stitched up, and then probably show you that the stitches ended up looking like an upside-down smiley face. Until you tell me you want me to go, I'm _not_. Alright?"

Giving a tentative smile, she nodded. "Alright..."

"Good." Nodding to herself, the girl straightened, mismatched eyes bright as she beamed. She started to let Elsa's hand go, only to pause and think for a second before seemingly coming to a decision and - _oh_...

Her face went red as Ylva pressed her lips against the palm of her hand, and her other hand that was tightly gripping the seat of her chair undoubtedly imprinted the shape of her hand into the wood with ice. As her heart threatened to jump out of her chest, she briefly wondered if lips were _supposed_ to be that warm or if she was just imagining it as she sat, dumbstruck.

Anna's distant screech saved her from embarrassment. "_Ylvie! Toff-Toff stole my cake, come and beat him up for me!_"

Kristoff shouted back. "She left it there, it was free game!" Quieter, he shouted indignantly, "_And don't call me that!_"

Laughing and standing up while dropping her hand, sending the chair back with a screech Elsa barely noticed, the girl pulled her hood back up before backing away. "I better go and be the peace negotiator, then." As she reached the door, she faltered and turned back, saying tentatively, speaking as though she were _forcing_ herself to do so. "Hey, Elsa...? I think..." She trailed off before shaking her head and trying again, motioning to the queen. "Do you think it would, could be possible that..." She bit her lip and dropped her arm to her side, finally shrugging and waving it off. "_Nah_... nevermind, it's probably... _maybe later_." She started to turn, only to double take and give her a concerned look. "And take a nap later, would you...? You look a little flushed; you might be getting sick... I _told you_ to stop leaving your window open in winter, _gods_, woman..."

Once the door shut, Elsa dropped back against her chair, posture be damned, and took several deep, calming breaths. Glancing at her palm where her friend's lips still burned, imprinting into her mind, her brows drew together as she pondered over her odd actions as of late.

At first it hadn't been like this... She had blushed, sure, but at shy, half-hearted acceptances of praise. That hadn't been praise. _This_ wasn't shy acceptance, this was something else. Something that made her feel warm, made her stomach flip, and her powers run all but rampant despite her best attempts to control it.

That had been _far_ too close, she decided as she looked to the side of the seat of her chair, which was coated with a surprisingly thick layer of ice that thinned out and had dripped from where she had been gripping it.

Then, a thought. A mere ghost of a thought, a half-joking musing... _Maybe she had a crush on her_.

But then her back went straight as her eyes widened and she flushed again. _Oh, no_...

Briefly entertaining the thought in her head, of warm, warm hugs and gentle, shy pecks, her eyes went even wider as she found that the idea wasn't something that she was _against_. Hell, it was an idea that felt-_felt good_. Made her insides squirm and her toes curl a bit.

Her mind drew back to when Anna had been describing how her relationship with Kristoff felt, of how books in the library had described it, and ice filled her veins as fear flooded her when she realized _that was how she felt_.

"No, no, no." Her breath hitched as she leapt from her seat, sending her chair crashing to the ground, but she didn't mind it. "_I'm enough of a freak as it is!_"

Frost curled on the ground from where she stood as she tangled her hands in her hair. _Wrong_. It was all so wrong...

First of all, it was _unnatural_. What would people think?! And Ylva - Ylva was only just beginning to understand the basic fundamentals of human behavior... And the stupid, trusting girl would go along with it without a second thought, whether she felt the same or not! She probably didn't even know what attraction, the kind Elsa had, felt like!

"I _do not_ have feelings for her. Not like that, not _those_ kind of feelings." Elsa breathed to herself, ignoring the voice in her head that screamed, '_yes you do_.' "I _don't_."

Looking up, her breath caught in her throat. Her entire room was coated in ice...

A shiver ran through her as she swallowed thickly, mouth suddenly dry. "Okay... _maybe I do_." And she uttered a word she had never said before in her life, and was glad no one was there to hear it but was ashamed nonetheless. "_Shit_."

* * *

**Author's note~**

**Iiii have school again, boo :( And I've been staying up 'till 1 AM (which actually a stark improvement) so falling asleep is gonna be a bitch, if I can even manage that, so double boo :C Oh well... it's not like I ever do anything in class, anyway *shrug* I'll just nap instead of doodle in class, I reckon.**

**But OMYGLoB U GUYS, DRAMA BOMB. As one of my idols, Lumpy Space Princess, once said, "_MY BEANS!_" ... Er, wait, it's actually "_Get in touch with your feelings, babe._" Both are pretty radical, real-ass quotes, though, so no biggie, yo.**

**Yeah, so I hope this one chappie was okay - or at least, better than the previous one D: I think it is, but... sometimes when i think stuff is okay, it ends up being the exact OPPOSITE of okay. And for realzies, guys. I. Love. You. All of you. I've been saying this way too much as of late, but you're all awesome and amazing and LET ME LOVE YOU. I know I'm goofy and spazzy and nerdy and that I fangirl WAY too hard over you guys and that some days I just _can't_ write worth a shit, but you put up with me. And I really do appreciate that you've stuck wih me, through my bad days and my worse days. An ESPECIALLY big thanks to the peeps that sought me out on deviantArt, too, because you people (you know who you are) could just put a smiley face in the comments, and I would probably spazz about as hard over those as I do with you guys, if not more. Sorry 'bout that. Cheers!  
**

************** ʕ´ᴥ`ʔ** Bear with me, guys!  


**, _Blue_**

**(GOsH, this site is finally working for me again, it's a goddamn MIRACLE. I finished this mess two days ago, but the fic-net was being a butt :I Sorry 'bout that. Not completely my fault, this time!) **


	16. Chapter 16

Elsa had decided that she was being too much like Anna. The sudden freedom, though lost when around Ylva, had made her too excitable, too eager to enjoy life. The new friend, and all the emotions that came with her presence, was merely frazzling her mind.

Being in isolation for so long had mixed up her emotions. Ylva was entertaining and kind and easy-going, and what was more, _a mystery_. She was interesting, holding a wisdom and heightened awareness that she hid behind her goofy exterior. Like the mystery books she had loved as a child...

She merely had to remind herself that surely, like the books she had read with piqued interest and fascination and joy, she would find something else that took away her interest. This little... _crush_ was merely her jumping the gun, though less in the extremities as Anna had done.

There was a nagging voice in the back of her head that protested. The voice that craved warmth and love and affection, the selfish voice that tugged at the edge of her thoughts, the one that desired what could not be had.

But she pushed it back into the deepest recesses of her mind that she could find and locked it with the heaviest chains her mind could forge, and promptly decided that the best course of action was to distance herself from the girl. Have her meals brought to her in her study and avoid her in the halls.

Yet avoiding Ylva was something that was neither enjoyable nor easy...

On the night of her realization, she had found the girl curled in front of the fireplace. And though she knew it would be better if she didn't, had put a blanket over her.

It wasn't horribly difficult the very next day, either, as the girl had discovered the paintings room on the first day and had become enamoured with it. The queen had walked past, barely glancing inside before double taking and backtracking when she realized that the usually empty room was occupied.

There Ylva had stood, in front of one of the paintings, _Joan_. Her back was to the queen, but Elsa knew that cool gray and white pelt, those darker, silver ears unmistakable on the figure. For a moment, she had feared the hooded girl had heard her and held her breath, only to release it after a few minutes as the girl had barely moved, only a bit more to the side to study a new patch of details and brush strokes as a few noises of contemplation and awe left her.

And what she had intended to be a few seconds glance after realizing she hadn't been caught, became a full minute and a half until she realized that her lips were curved up into a fond smile as Ylva had muttered to herself about how amazingly talented people could be and how she could suddenly imagine why hounds started mingling with them.

She knew that both the paintings room and the hall she was in suddenly dropped ten degrees as that dreading feeling filled her gut, but she had whirled on her heel and taken off, away from the room - away from _Ylva_ so fast that she knew that she wouldn't be caught in the act.

The next day was worse. Perhaps _the_ worst, as it was what made her realize that she already missed the scarred girl...

It had been a fleeting run-in. Elsa had turned red, hesitating in her words and second-guessing herself as she made an excuse as to why she had been absent during the day before, despite the fact that Ylva hadn't even questioned it.

She'd simply shrugged a shoulder and stepped closer to nuzzle her shoulder, chuckling sheepishly as she admitted that she hadn't even realized the day had come and gone and become the next, apparently having _just_ left the paintings room.

The queen had went darker, taking a rather large step back after the affectionate action, pretending to not notice the confused, slightly hurt look on the shorter's face as she mumbled something about having to go hold court before all but sprinting away.

Her stomach had twisted and curled as she realized with a burning everything that she craved to go back and hold Ylva until that hurt look went away, because that was a look she found she _hated_ on that tanned, scarred mug with every fibre of her being. She hated it...

_But she would continue on the path she was_. Because she knew she could no matter how much it hurt, because she was doing what was right, for her sake. And if she could do it for thirteen years, surely she could do it until Ylva grew bored with her and moved on, maybe to live back in the wilds or with Gunnar to continue her apprenticeship.

Until then, however, she had to accept that no Ylva also meant no Anna. After three full days of secluding herself from the girl, she had turned to the redhead to find out why. And now, every time Anna came to try and talk to her through the door, Ylva was with her.

Elsa wasn't entirely sure just _how_ she knew. Even at the first attempt to reach her, Ylva had been silent... but she just _knew_. And every time she informed Anna that yes, she knew Ylva was there with her, both of the girls behind the door would groan.

Ylva never complained other than that single, dejected noise. She didn't try to persuade her or trick her into opening the door like Anna had as a young girl... Sometimes, late at night in her study, she heard the doorknob move just a bit, only to stop when the person on the other side quickly realized that it was locked. Barely audible exhales became the most of what she heard from Ylva for the next two days after.

Then she starting talking. And _that_, that became the worst thing...

Because she didn't ask her, beg her to open the door. She didn't accuse Elsa of shutting her out. There was never a trace of anger in her words. It was always late, and Elsa assumed that her thief thought her sleeping in the study, as her words were always soft, so as not to disturb her.

It was always about little things, yet she always hesitated and paused with uncertainty as she spoke to the door Elsa kept closed. Like how Anna had been helping her practice reading since she was too busy to, and that she was making good progress and was sure that Elsa would be _proud_ if she knew how good she was doing with it. Or that she had been practicing sparring with Anna, who was beginning to show signs that she _may_ be improving, slowly but surely. Or even just reminding her to remember to keep her window closed at night, because sleeping with her window open was just _begging_ to get sick.

She didn't ever mention that she knew the queen was avoiding her, although Elsa _knew_ that she did.

If she thought long and hard about it, she supposed the isolation was a good thing. She was caught up on all the paperwork, all the reports and requests...

But if she forgot to keep the voice chained in the back of her mind restricted, it would remind that she had actually enjoyed the distractions Ylva had brought. And it reminded her of the odd, awful sensation in her chest that only went away when Ylva was at the door. It was sort of similar like a tug, and every tug washed another wave of melancholy over her.

It was by no means a fun time... _but it was for Ylva's own good_. And that was enough to keep her continuing on.

* * *

It was around the middle of the second week, when Elsa slipped up.

She didn't lock the door. _She didn't lock the door_. The queen had not even realized she hadn't, and that was her first mistake.

Ylva didn't know to just not come in as Anna had; _she just did_. Either she didn't understand the concept of knocking, or she did and just chose to overlook it. But regardless, she realized as a blanket was gently draped over her shoulders and warm, lightly calloused knuckles lightly brushed hair from her face, that she wasn't alone.

She didn't look, but she just _knew_. It was Ylva. For a second, her heart soared with contentment, only to freeze and crumble as the full realization of that knowledge hit her. _It was Ylva_.

Her head shot up and she nearly fell out of her chair as she yelped in surprise, only to tense up as arms caught her and a voice that nearly made her melt spoke just above a whisper. "Easy there, Elsa... _shouldn't you be in bed by now...?_" Before she could respond, however, the girl's lips twisted into a wry smile. "Well, I suppose I'm hardly the one to talk, coming from the person that sleeps on the floor in front of the fireplace..."

Elsa tensed, flinching and ducking out of the arms before backing away. "What-what are you doing here...?"

"It's great to see you, too," Ylva said, truth clearly underlying her sarcasm. "It feels like it's been ages since I've seen you last... but anyway, perhaps I should help you to bed."

"_No!_" Her throat caught in her throat as a hurt look crossed the shorter's face. "I-I mean, no, it is fine. I am more than capable of getting there by myself."

Cocking her head to the side, ears on her hood moving with her action, her easy smile went a little forced. "I'm certain of it. But," The light was dim, but Elsa could still see her cheeks flush. "I missed you... Even if it's just helping you get to bed, I'd like to do it. It-_it's not a bother_." She assured the blonde, shifting in place. "Really, not at all... We don't even have to talk, if you don't want to..."

Biting her lip, resisting the urge to move closer to her, Elsa forced herself to speak words that the voice chained in the back of her head screamed for her not to. "I'm... quite busy, actually. I should stay here..."

Ylva opened her mouth, only to have it hang limply for a moment before shifting. Her hood drooped lower, but Elsa could imagine her brows curving underneath it. An arm crossed to hold the other in a one-armed hug to herself, before she finally straightened and shrugged. "Okay, sure. I'll grab my-" Her voice caught as she looked around the room. "Where... where's my chair?"

"Listen, Ylva," The queen said as gently as she could, trying to tell the girl with her tone that she should leave so that she wouldn't have to tell her out loud. "I have quite a bit of work to do."

"That's fine," She shrugged again, visibly forcing nonchalance. "It will be a chance for me to show you how much better I've gotten. I've been practicing a lot..." Clearing her throat, she spoke, stuttering, "I-I can actually _help_ this time, in-instead of just taking your focus from it."

_Oh God_. There was a trace of hope in her voice, _just enough_ to be heard, but subtle enough to be able to tell that she was trying to hide it...

Elsa had to grit her teeth and _force_ herself to be distant, because if she was anything less, then she would cave and pull the increasingly disheartened girl into a hug. "Thank you, but no. Please leave..."

A noise left the hooded girl, a mix between a short breath of something akin to disbelief and the small beginnings of a whimper. "What? I-_oh_, I... maybe tomorrow...? I need - I've been meaning to talk to you about something..."

"Actually," _Oh God, this was all but physically hurting her_... "I think... I think I would like some time to myself. Without you."

Her face began to twist into a look of hurt before she grimaced and her shoulders raised in defense. "Okay, that's fine..." She started to back away, only to falter and shake her head to herself. "Look, I just want to tell you something, _please_...? I think..." The girl bit her lip, looking tentative as her voice turned into a mumble. "I know... _I know you've been avoiding me_."

The queen's shoulders braced as unease and fear began to crawl over her, limbs feeling chilled as she stared with wide eyes. "Wh-_what?_"

"I told you," She said weakly, biting her lip as she squirmed in place. "I see the blanks, and I've been having some blanks myself, so I filled them in."

_How could she have figured out her feelings for her?!_ Elsa had all but avoided her like the black plague! Panic filled her chest as she tried not to hyperventilate, but regardless Ylva noticed and frowned before pulling her hood back to shoot her a concerned look.

"Hey, it's okay," The shorter girl told her gently, "I'm not... _I understand_. We're different, different cultures and different traditions and all that."

The shorter started moving closer, only to stop as Elsa flinched, unintentionally dropping the temperature in the room a few degrees as she wrestled with her head to get her emotions under control. "_Dont touch me_."

"I realize that things like this don't happen a lot; or at least, they don't with... _someone like me_." She made a face, but didn't withdraw, instead very slowly inching closer. "You must be confused, and maybe a little freaked out, _but we can figure this out_. Together..."

Her heart nearly broke out of her chest with how hard it was beating, and her cheeks went warm. "Please don't..."

Ylva held out a hand cautiously. "Elsa, _you_ please don't. Don't freak out, remember to breathe..." She took a deep, shaky breath. "I wasn't sure, at first, but... we kept getting closer, and then you suddenly backed up... I think... I think you..."

"_Stop_." She all but begged, face now flaming as tears welled in her eyes."This is wrong... it's _wrong_. It's unnatural"

Ylva paused and double took, a confused look overcoming her face as she blinked cluelessly. "I don't quite... are-are we talking about the same thing...? I told you before, it's completely natural..." She made a face and shrugged a shoulder, fiddling with the fur of her cloak. "_Well_, usually. This case is a bit different-"

Her breath was ragged, and she had to _fight_ to keep ice from filling her veins. "You should leave."

"Wait, what?" She gave a crestfallen look and paused in her slow travels to the blonde. "I didn't get the chance to-"

"_Leave_."

The girl tensed up, mismatched eyes filling with hurt. "I know it's a bit odd, but-"

Tears threatened to spill from her eyes. It was official; this was one of the worst days of her life. "_Why are you still here?!_"

"Because you're my person!"

She froze, eyes going wide. "What...?"

Ylva went red as she fidgeted, nervousness filtering through her voice. "I think that you... You're... You're my person." She twiddled her fingers and cleared her throat, a smile tugging at her lips despite the fact that she was obviously trying not to smile. "_I found my person_. You're it."

"How-how can you-? _No_," The blonde bit her lip. "I can't be..."

"_You are_." She said with more certainty. "I can feel it, and I know you can, too." She faltered. "Er... you can, right...? Feel it? It started when you first began avoiding me, but it only got worse as time went on, and..." A grimace crossed her face. "I can't... it's hard to explain; I've never really had the chance to dwell on it and come to terms, but... It's a bit like..." She trailed off, making several hand gestures.

Against her better judgement, Elsa supplied, "A tug...?"

They were only two words, but they made Ylva's eyes light up like light from a candle as she beamed. "Yeah... exactly like that."

As her own lips twitched up at the girl's bright smile, only to turn down again as her hand was nearly grabbed by hers and she turned away while cradling her hand to her chest.

"Elsa..." Her voice was a gentle murmur from behind her. "I've been waiting my whole life for you and, even though you didn't know it, _you were waiting for me_. Please don't turn away from me, I'm not going to hurt you."

Whirling around, hands clutching each other in an attempt to keep her emotions under control, she fired at her, "I'm not worried that you're going to hurt me, I am worried that _I_ will hurt _you!_" Catching herself, she faltered. "How can you be sure, how can you know I'm your...?"

"_My person?_" Elsa could _just_ feel the warmth of the shorter's hand on her shoulder, only to feel it leave as she presumably pulled her hand back. "And I can't... I can't really explain it. I just _know_... I'm still here, because your my person. Rule number three, from the _Wild Dog's Hand Guide To Life_;' always return to your person. Always."

Opening her mouth to give another denial, Ylva cut her off while gently turning her. "Always doesn't mean sometimes or usually, Elsa; it means _every single time_."

The blonde stayed silent, mouth opening and closing as she stared at her thief. Her eyes, though differing in color, held the same fondness; and if she weren't so close, staring right back at her, Elsa would have seriously doubted that she -_anyone_- could be looking at her in such a way.

And that was why it hurt her so much to turn her down...

"Please," Begging, near pleading as her voice cracked. "Leave me be..."

Her scarred face fell, and her crushed look nearly made the blonde take it right back. "I... _okay_. I just, I wanted you to know. I know you feel it, too, and it must have scared you a little bit. I wanted you to know that you didn't have to be scared, because I'm right here," Adding quietly, "And probably just as scared and nervous as you are, if not more, because I _know_..."

"Ylva..."

"Okay, okay," She looked hesitant and clearly didn't want to, but backed up, even as slow as it was. A pained look crossed her face as she suddenly looked at the ground. "Do you... do you want me to leave the _castle_, or just you...?"

_Her heart cracked at the rejection in her friend's voice_. It wasn't surprised, no... it was almost as if she had been expecting it. "You don't have to leave the castle," Elsa ground out between clenched teeth, trying to hold back a sob. "Just leave me."

The girl drew her hood back up, trying and failing not to frown at the floor. "I... _fine_. You're probably... you need time to adjust. This is probably a lot to take in, I can totally get that." She sucked in a breath and glanced back at the door behind her before looking back to the queen, taking her lower lip between her teeth. "Um... if you need to find me, I'll keep Anna updated."

Elsa gave a short nod, back stiff as she crossed her arms in a subtle hug to herself.

Taking another slow step, _stalling_, she nodded to herself more than to the taller. "Right. I guess..." She faltered as her back hit the door, and she grimaced, lifting her head to study the queen for a few still seconds before sighing. "I should go... do something, I suppose. Maybe help Gunnar, I don't know..."

As Ylva turned to the door, as her hand turned the knob, she huffed. Not a noise of annoyance, nor was it directed at the queen, but in exasperation at herself. Glancing back, she said tentatively, "I... I missed you. And I _will_, while I'm... '_leaving you be_.'" Grimacing to herself as she turned to study the knob in her grip, she added weakly. "And I-I'll always be here for you. Just call for me, and I'll be there in a _second_-"

Did she realize that she was making this as difficult as it was...? "_Ylva_..."

"Right," She grimaced. "Right; I'm going." She pushed the door open and stepped out, turning to look at her with a weak smile. "Just remember to stop doubting yourself, please...? _And remember to keep your damn window closed at night_. Winter is just about here, and if you get ill, whether you want me to or not, I _will_ take care of you. It's the least I could do after all you've done for me..." Adding meekly, she gave a little wiggle of her fingers in a wave. "Oh, and I know you've been shutting Anna out to avoid me, so... when she knocks, you can go ahead and let her in. I won't try to run into you until you want me to... _well_, until _all of you_ wants me to."

Another longing glance was thrown her way before the door clicked shut, and Elsa had to _hold her breath_ to keep her voice from trembling, waiting until the footsteps faded from her hearing and then after before taking a breath. It came out a raspy sob as ice crawled over the floor from her feet, hands clenched tight as snow began falling from her ceiling.

_This was harder than she had thought it would be_...

* * *

**Author's note~**

**Yeah, Elsa, AVOID your problems. Because we all saw how well that went the LAST TIME you tried running away instead of talking it through...**

**Sorry. Too soon to make that joke...? Yeah. It's too soon :I I can't help it. BecausE I HAVE TO WRITE MORE EMOTIONS and I'm starting to miss the fuckin' fluff D: AND IT'S ONLY GETTING WORSE FROM HERE. Or is it...? Haaa, you'll never knoow~ Hell, _I_ don't even know. Is that bad...? Probably. But my system's worked decently enough, so far, so I'm stickin' with it!  
**

**I swear this chapter was more heart string-pulling in my head, but then I typed it out and it was just like... _meh_. That's how it is with like 80% of this lame little tale, actually. Still not as bad as... *dun dun DUNN* chapter 14. THAT was a hot ass mess, right there. Still gotta edit that... (never gonna edit that)**

**So the next one might take a while. I have two projects, homework, push-ups, and a manga to do ._. I passed math, surprisingly enough. I'd like to keep it that way, while I still have a chance to NOT flunk out of school and become a pot dealer/mafia member because while I'd dig the suit and probably be a pretty good dealer, I'm all 'do hugs, not drugs,' so I'd be a pretty big flippin' hypocrite if that happened.**

**I love you guys! And OHMYGODIGOTFANARTSJESUSCHRISTWHATSHAPPENING! I think I'm having a heART ATTACK, but that could be all the coffee and jug of icing I've been consuming IDUNNOGUYS. But I will gladly love all of you, glib glob it! WOO!**

******************ʕ´ᴥ`ʔ** Bear with me, guys!

******, _Blue_**

******_(FF is hellbent and determined to keep me from linking the fanart here, but if you guys are interested, they're on my profile)  
_**


	17. Chapter 17

Bjorn growled. The fur on the back of his neck was smooth, but he was still clearly annoyed with the Ice Queen.

"What do you want from me?!" Elsa finally threw her arms up in defeat. As he huffed, the wild dog narrowed his eyes at her accusingly and she frowned at him in response as her brows curved up, exasperation in her tone. "I can't understand you, so you're wasting your breath..."

The wolf gave a short growl, fur on his neck starting to lift, only to smoothen again as he snorted, eying her with his piercing eyes. Shaking himself, he trotted over and gave a soft woof before gently grabbing the queen's hand with his teeth and tugging her through the gardens.

Despite herself, she let the small, still rather scrawny wolf tug her along, if just for a minute. "I think I know what you want me to do, but I _can't_..." Cautiously shifting her hand, so that her finger was loosely wrapped around his canine tooth, she sighed. "I would love to, but I can't..."

The wild dog faltered and nearly tripped over his own paws, ears raised as he lifted his head to stare at her, still holding her fingers in his maw. An unamused look filled his gold eyes, and even though she couldn't understand his short whine, she could get what he was trying to say. '_Why not?_'

"You wouldn't understand..."

He dropped her hand and snorted, nudging her leg with his nose, prompting her to explain more in detail.

Heaving a breath, she looked around to make sure she was alone. _Of course she was_; it was freezing and snowing outside, either reflecting her mood by magic or merely by chance. Regardless, she was alone because of it, and leaned down.

"I..." _She couldn't believe she was talking to a dog._ "I like her."

Bjorn made a confused noise, ears folding back as he cocked his head to the side before lightly pawing at her leg.

The blonde swept a hand through her hair and grimaced. "I like her more than I _should_. It wouldn't be good for either of us if I-if _we_..." Shaking her head, she sighed again. "I care for her, _surely_ you know that. That is why I..." She trailed off as the hound let out an impatient yip and a questioning growl. "She thinks I'm her-her _person_."

His eyes widened, ears perking up as he made a noise that sounded like he was asking bewilderedly, '_What?!_'

"She thinks I'm her person." Folding her arms, she frowned and turned to look at the snow swirling around in the air. "It's still a concept I can't quite grasp, not completely, but still... I can't be."

Barking urgently, he gave her an inscrutable, perplexed look before grabbing her hand again and trying to pull her again with more force.

Biting back a wince, she frowned. "I told you, I _can't_ go to see her. I would love to, but I can't-"

The queen was cut off by a howl. It was chilling, and not _nearly_ distant enough for comfort. The wild dog froze, his eyes meeting hers in a moment of mutual of understanding. That howl hadn't been a song, it had been a _call_.

Nodding at each other, the two took off into a sprint towards the castle gates. Because that howl had been more than the mere call of a lonely dog, but had sounded all too hauntingly like a call to arms, a call for _war_...

* * *

The two had sprinted into the marketplace to see a horrid sight. Blood painted the cobbled stones and snow. Cries, both human and wolf, came from the space.

Traders beat wolves off, guards tried to draw the animals' attentions, and a familiarly huge mule fought with more vigor than any man or wolf. And at the helm of the action, back to back with Gunnar, both with smithing hammers in hand, fought off the beasts in sync.

Thankfully, only the bodies of wounded wolves littered the streets, but still panic bubbled in her throat.

And then, she heard it. A growl, a _roar_. A new group of wolves came tearing out of one of the alleys, but not to attack; they came out crying in fear, and everyone, both human and hound alike stopped what they were doing to turn and stare.

A hulking form stumbled out, heaving for breath as it staggered a bit, huge head lifting to stare while panting.

Ylva finally let out a frustrated snarl, drawing the massive beast's, and everyone elses attentions. "_Why did you think that dragging a bear out of hibernation is a good idea?!_"

Growls rumbled from the bear as it took a lumbering step towards the hooded girl.

"_Oh_, you know of me?" The hooded girl laughed without humour as man and beast stepped aside, leaving an open path to her for the bear. She took a step towards him in response, a low growl of a warning in her throat.

As the bear roared, Elsa flinched and called out without thinking. "_Ylva!_"

The bear froze, whirling around and locking his black eyes with her blues and as a roar built up in its throat, she could see every muscle in its muzzle wrinkle as teeth flashed, rearing and opening its mouth...

Only to make a noise similar to a yelp as a grappling hook grabbed its shoulder and stagger as it was pulled back.

"Help me take it down!" Ylva roared.

Several guards jumped to action at the pelt-covered girl's barked order, running and grabbing the length of the rope tied to the hook and trying to drag the hulking beast to the ground. Ylva charged the bear, tackling it around the middle and making it fall in its shock.

"Get _down!_" The girl snarled before grabbing the back of its scruff, and gave a roar that mirrored its previous, only with more fury in the noise. The bear starting breathing out heavily, deeper, throaty noises leaving with its breaths as the whites of its eyes showed. A distressed cry left it as she slammed the bottom of its jaw to the ground below it. She growled back down to it, pausing as it made several more distressed, almost _confused_-sounding cries.

Ylva huffed and hopped off, pulling the hook out of the beast's shoulder, lips twisting with contempt as the people and wolves around looked at each other in confusion and unease. The bear used a single paw to lift itself into a sitting position, briefly licking it's torn hide before looking back at her dismissively and crooning weakly, slumping under her gaze.

She turned and surveyed the crowd of intermixed species before turning to Elsa.

The queen froze as the girl rushed over, the bear slinking behind her, and moved to cup her face only to freeze as her hands had nearly brushed her skin and grimace. Was it bad that she would have welcomed the action...?

Taking a few steps back, she shuffled and slumped, facing the ground. "Are you alright...?"

Giving a short nod and forcing herself to back away a bit, she asked, "What's going on, what happened?!"

A sharp intake of breath. "_It's coming_. They're attacking, like I knew they would." Everyone went quiet at the full realization of the hooded girl's ominous words, only to jump as she straightened and barked at the crowd. "Hello, why are you all standing around like that? Get ready, _let's move!_"

Despite her words, everyone was still. The wolves that had previously been attacking stood about limply, a few milling towards the injured and helping their fellow hounds stand up. The thief perked up as her eye caught one of the wolves before walking over with confidence and control in her step, grabbing one of the larger wolves with a dagger stuck in it's hind leg by the scruff. "You. Explain."

The wolf, a solid, tawny brown color, gave a long whine before staring into her eyes, ears twitching before finally folding back as he looked to her meaningfully.

Ylva jerked, staring back for a while before giving a nod and easing him back down. "Okay..." She stood back up straight and surveyed the crowd once more, this time eying the wolves that stood about before telling them firmly. "_Sit_."

And just like that, the wolves that weren't crumbled on the floor, sat obediently. Everyone gaped, and Elsa stuttered. "How-how did you do that?!"

"She sent the weak, the wary; the ones that chanced being disloyal, first." Ylva answered grimly, avoiding looking at the blonde. "They were already wavering, and it worsened when she ordered for them to awaken the bear and lead it into town. Taking down the bear made me the alpha in their eyes... Which is good and bad for a number of reasons." Turning, she called. "Halvor! Get over here, and make haste, you big oaf of a man!"

Elsa found herself wondering when her thief had come to first-name terms with the captain of her guard as the huge man stepped through the crowd, easily spotted as he towered over everyone. A grimace crossed his face as he gave the bear a wide berth.

The captain of her guard was, as previously mentioned, a massive bear of a man with neat brown that was turning silver from the bottom up and a crooked nose that had been broken hundreds of times. A neatly trimmed goatee framed his square jaw, and a heavy coating of thick freckles covered his whole face. His expression was stoney, and she knew his brows were near-constantly narrowed as his pale gray eyes surveyed every miniscule detail there was to be found.

Although they very seldom spoke, the queen remembered him well... He had been the first to talk to her, face to face after her parents deaths. The man had been as stoney faced as he was now, but his voice had held the smallest trace of sympathy as he spoke to her, scolding but at the same time _not_ as he had used his masters key to open the door and bring her food.

"Ylva." His voice was still near-impossibly deep, and as smooth as cream. "What is happening?"

The girl grimaced. "Well... the wolves are coming. And I have good news and bad. Which do you want-" She stopped as the bear nudged her shoulder, unintentionally making her stagger and giving a sad croon as she growled at him. "_What do you want_, you damnedable thing? _What?!_" It gave a low, sad cry and dropped its head on her shoulder, and a grimace crossed her face as she pinched the bridge of her nose and huffed, muttering something about how she hated bears before looking back to Halvor. "Good or bad, first?"

Halvor said shortly, "Bad."

"Well," She began, biting back a scowl as the bear gave a small huff and nudged her neck. "More wolves are coming. They're here for me and are going to attack anyone that looks like they _might_ try to stop them, and they plan on dragging me to their alpha so she can kill me and wear my skin..." The bear made a small noise, and she gritted her teeth. "_And_ this damn bear seems to be hell-bent and determined to follow me around. The wolves were trying to use him to their advantage, but it backfired and they killed his mother, so..." Slumping, she heaved out, "I'm hoping otherwise, because I _really_ hate bears, but I think he might have imprinted on me."

One of the man's brows twitched up. "Alright... what of the good?"

"This rag-tag group of wolves were the alpha's first wave, and she really only sent them in hopes of getting rid of the reluctant and weak ones while taking out as many people as she could. And when I took down the cub, I proved myself stronger than the alpha to them, and since they already didn't really want to hunt me because most of them know or have heard of me, they've reached a consensus. They want to help as much as they can, injured and all, to the best of their ability."

"Anything else...?"

Ylva shrugged and gave a sheepish look. "Well... You all listened to me when I warned you, thankfully, so we're fairly prepared for it." Glancing to the bear resting his head on her shoulder, she sighed, "And, I suppose the fact that we have a bear on our side could be counted as a good thing, as well... _Unfortunately_."

Halvor exhaled sharply through his nose. "This is madness..."

"No, this is Sparta." Ylva chimed, lips curving up as both the queen and the captain shot her an odd look. "Sorry - inside joke. If I live through this, I'll tell you the story." Shaking her head to herself and not-so-subtly shoving the bear's head off of her shoulder, ignoring his groan of complaint. "Those Spartans... they're a bit insane. _But oddly prudent_, in an extreme sort of way..."

"Focus," The man reminded her gruffly, jerking a head to the crowd of both people and wolves. "Find out more information from one of the wolves. We need a strategy, a way to stop this. Find out what you can and then come and find me. A storm is coming," He grimaced and his brows drew closer together. "Just our luck..." Turning to Elsa, he bowed low. "My queen, I would advise for you to go back inside the castle as soon as possible."

Elsa nodded, and his steely gaze met hers before he nodded back and turned, walking a brisk pace. The crowd began to melt and move, avoiding the lounging wolves scattered about as the two women stood side by side.

Shifting uneasily, Ylva ignored the bear that rubbed against her shoulder as she suddenly bowed her head to look at a bit of blood that stained the thin layer of snow, hands twitching before she began fiddling with her fingers. "Uh, h-hi... You should," She cleared her throat, neck turning red. "You might want to take Halvor's advice, maybe..." The bear cooed and headbutted her shoulder, sending the unsuspecting girl stumbling forward, right into the queen as a cry left her.

Fear flooded the blonde, but out of concern rather than anything else, as she caught the shorter and helped her right herself while her brows curved up. "Are you alright?"

"_No_," The words came tumbling out of the girl's mouth, and she flinched. "I-I mean, yes. Er, sort of, mostly...?" Her lips twisted into a frown as she reluctantly backed away, jabbing the bear a bit away before slumping. "You're scared of me and I have a bear fresh out of pup-hood that won't leave me alone, and now everything is tumbling down because of me... But other than that, _everything is just peachy_."

Elsa wasn't sure if she wanted to laugh or to cry as her thief made a face.

"But-but that's okay," She continued, rambling a bit as she looked everywhere but at the queen, hand lifting to tangle in the fur of her hood. "I'm okay, I mean - I'm not hurt or anything. And you're not either, I don't think-" Making a face, she corrected, "Well, I _hope_ you're okay. I tackled a _bear_ to try and ensure it, after all. _I really want to hug you_." She faltered and choked on her breath, flushing scarlet. "_I-I mean_, nothing, I didn't-I didn't say that, no." She coughed. "I should... I should go. I should've left when Halvor did, really, but I didn't because I wanted to check on you; _you're fine_. I think. _Hope_. I don't want to ask-" Her voice caught again. "I mean, _I do_, but..." She trailed off and grimaced, taking another step back. "I should stop. And go. Definitely. I'll see you... when you want to see me. _If_ you want to see me..."

Elsa's lips curved up on their own accord as a warm feeling filled her chest, only to stop as she noticed the dark, ruby liquid staining the girl's leg. "_Ylva!_"

A hopeful look crossed the hooded girl's face. "Yes?"

"Blood..."

Her face fell a bit as she looked down, lifting her arms to inspect herself. "Oh. I don't..." She glanced back up at Elsa before looking back at the stain, and Elsa could imagine her brows furrowing from under her hood. "_Oh_... I guess I do. I... don't think that's mine, though."

Shoulders sagging in relief, Elsa nodded as she breathed, "Good."

"Yep." Ylva faltered, glancing back behind her before looking back to the blonde. "I-err... is this okay...? Is this too much, should I have just left?" Her shoulders lifted as she raised her arms helplessly. "I-I really don't know what to do. I don't want to overstep my boundaries and scare you again, _I'm sorry_. I'm so nervous and I might be a little gassy...? _I don't know_, but I-I missed you, and-" Finally, she just slapped a hand over her mouth.

Elsa couldn't help but giggle into her hand as the girl took several deep, somewhat panicked breaths through her nose as she tried to collect herself.

Lowering her hand, the tanned girl flashed a sheepish smile. "Do you want me to get you a sword...?"

The voice in the back of her head cheered while the rest of her head simultaneously gave a distressed cry as she considered it. The voice reminded her that staying away from Ylva had only made her glum and more prone to having (literal) snow storm clouds form above her head. Maybe if she just kept it a bit brief, kept distant...?

Ylva squirmed in place, and Elsa briefly wondered where the girl she saw a few minutes ago went. She had taken charge and given orders and reacted with all the grace of a weathered army commander, had been so certain of everything she did and given off an air of dominance.

Yet now...? She fumbled and blushed and cursed under her breath. Everything about her was uncertain, nervous, afraid to make the wrong move. Her hands trembled as she staved off a wide smile, tried to prepare herself for disappointment, shoved the bear away and glared at it before turning back to Elsa and blushing again.

It was... adorable, actually. Just the sight made her smile, threatened to make all of her hard work these past few weeks all for nothing. She knew she shouldn't...

And so, as the bear crooned at the hooded girl, giving her a look, Elsa's smile faded as she sighed. "I probably should get back."

"Oh." Ylva bit her lip, trying and failing to not look crestfallen. "Yeah, I... okay."

Elsa took a deep breath and wrung her hands. "Maybe... _later_, okay?" She promised quietly, moving to put a hand on her shoulder only to stop and flinch as she withdrew her hand.

"Okay..."

The blonde felt her stomach twist. A frown was something she decided that she really didn't like seeing on her face, hooded or no. "I promise. I _swear_..." She trailed off. To be honest, Elsa wasn't sure what she was swearing to do, exactly...

But it seemed to make Ylva feel a little better, as the girl straightened up a bit and gave a curt nod. "Okay... _I'm holding you to that_." She smiled weakly and wiggled her fingers in a little wave as she backed away, offering, "My door is always open for you. _Always_."

"I know." Elsa assured her gently, trying to stop the frown tugging at her lips. "Thank you... And, I'm sorry."

The shorter merely waved it off and flashed a small smile."No worries, I can wait." Adding meekly, "But really... if you need me for anything, please tell me. I can help. I _want_ to help... _Let me_. Help, I mean..."

Lips twitching up, she bowed her head slightly. "I will," She assured her gently. "If I truly need you, I know I can come and find you." _This was dragging on far too long_... "I apologize, but I must get going."

She nodded. "Of course." Pausing and motioning for the queen to wait a second, she got on her knees and motioned for Bjorn to come over. Once he did, she lightly stroked the top of his head and met his eyes, giving a whine to the wolf. He groaned but briefly nuzzled her neck, and Ylva breathed a sigh relief before looking back up at the blonde. "Will you do me a big, big favor...?"

"That depends on what it is..." Elsa answered warily.

"Have Bjorn stay with you?" Biting her lip, she added. "It would make me feel a lot better about this whole..." She gestured around. "_This_. In general. He'll keep you safe when I can't. Please...?"

The blonde exhaled and lifted an arm to hold the other. "I... supposed it wouldn't hurt..."

"Good," She breathed, getting back to her feet and nudging the wolf towards the queen before uttering quietly, "I... I really did miss you."

Fondness grew in her, only to quickly turn to fear. "You... _bye_."

A hurt look crossed Ylva's face, but she nodded as the blonde whirled on her heel and hurried away with Bjorn at her heels. She could faintly hear her thief''s sullen reply. "I'll see you later. _Hopefully_..."

Snow began swirling harder, but this time, Elsa let it. It was a subtle way for her to let her powers loose, and, to be honest...? It gave her something to think about that wasn't Ylva's crushed expression.

Her feelings were getting worse, getting stronger. She didn't want to have them, and avoiding the cause of them just made her feel awful, but... they just weren't going away.

Looking to the wild dog at her side, she breathed weakly, "_What am I gonna do...?_"

"_Do you wanna build a snowman?_"

Elsa jerked at the sound of Anna's voice, looking around but seeing no one. As she wondered if she had merely imagined it, she heard it again, this time right next to her. She jumped when she saw the rehead at her side, freckled face giving her a gentle smile. "It doesn't have to be a snowman..." When the queen merely gave her an odd look, the younger sibling merely shrugged as her smile grew.

"When did you get here...?" Willing her mood to brighten, the queen subtly straightened her posture and loosened the twitch of a frown in her lips... Not that it was terribly hard. Just being in the redhead's presence tended to put her at ease.

Anna shrugged again, lacing an arm with hers. Changing the subject, she informed her, "With the storm coming in, Kristoff is going to have to spend the night..."

"That's fine." Shooting her another look, she raised a brow. "Why were you out here...?"

The redhead just acted like she hadn't heard the question.

Well... she supposed that it was possible she really _hadn't_, what with the wind. But regardless, Anna had been acting _odd_ as of late. And between having to force herself to avoid Ylva and Anna's recent, weirder-than-usual behavior, _and_ the recent events, Elsa felt more exhausted than she's ever been.

And, she knew, _things were only destined to get worse from there_...

* * *

**Author's note~**

**Guess who hurt their neck and can't look up or to the right anymore? _This girl_. Jfc, man, I gotta stop cracking my neck in the middle of the night... you'd think I'd learn, since this happened before except worse, but no... I'm stupid, guilty as charged *shrug* And I actually mostly finished this at 4 AM, but... I fell asleep on my laptop. Which could also be why I hurt my neck, I dunno. But yeah, so this is like seven hours later than I wanted it. Sorry bout that :I**

**_More angstt_. Except, not really, because writing angst is seriously not my strong suit and it feels more robotic than anything. Which, actually, now that I think about it, could be a good thing. Don't know about all of you, but when I feel like shit, I feel like a 'bot with seriously delayed reactions. Maybe Elsa is, too, I dunno. Or I'm just excusing my shite writing... ANYWAYS, I have to skedaddle and do my homework/project/manga. I REGRET NOTHING.**

**Hope this was an okay chapter guys, really I do. Love you all so much, both the new and old readers, and I'll try to update soon!**

**Bear with me! ********************ʕ´ᴥ`ʔ**  


**, _Blue_**


	18. Chapter 18

Two more waves came and went with two days, one on each day at times that were random and without pattern. The wolves that attacked were stronger, more loyal; less of cannon fodder and more _actual_ soldiers, in a hypothetical sense.

Even so, some of the wild dogs saw reason and witnessed the ferocity at which Ylva fought, and joined when they saw the ever-growing number of hounds that have formed an alliance under the girl. Casualties were relatively light. Those unable to fight merely didn't - they stayed inside when the cries began, and kept a blade in hand during the entirety of them all.

And through it all, Ylva had continued to impress and make Elsa's feelings stronger than they already were, although Ylva only ever respected and followed the queen's lead to a 'T'. The girl didn't speak to her unless spoken to, even though it was obvious she wanted to. She didn't touch her; if fact, she made a point of giving her a wide berth when she had to walk past her to avoid brushing against her.

Bjorn gave her Hell throughout the entire time, despite the fact that he _knew_ she couldn't understand him. He gave her pointed, annoyed looks when Ylva would hurry past, and yowled and yipped at her in the night - lecturing her, no doubt. Despite his blatant and near-constant annoyance with her, though, Elsa really was grateful he was there...

The small wolf kept her from falling into panic attacks, as they had been rearing their ugly heads far more often than usual and thus, helped keep her powers under control. Which was immensely helpful, since the fear usually became crippling when she was around Ylva. And, despite the cursed girl's best efforts, they _had_ to be close to each other more often with the wolf attacks, so they could go over strategy with Halvor and Arendelle's military commanders.

Elsa couldn't even begin to imagine how many times she had considered telling Ylva about her powers, so the girl could at the very least _begin_ to try to understand a bit more. Understand why the queen flinched so, why she shied away from the girl's touch and struggled with herself.

There were a quite a few times she actually had moved to tell her. To confess about her powers at least, to make her thief's frown a little shallower because she really did hate seeing the girl look so glum, but...

It just never worked out.

Someone would show up. Something would come up. She would see the tanned girl do something that was unintentionally endearing and feel that warm, stirring feeling in her belly, and she would lose what little nerves she had managed to muster while Bjorn would give an exasperated groan.

Again... _it just never worked out_. Ever. And by that point, Elsa just assumed that she was destined to not be friends with her thief due to her freakish nature...

But still, even when she accepted that it just _couldn't happen_, her mind would still drift to the what if's and the what could be's.

And she _hoped_... By God, did she hope and pray that Ylva would grow tired of waiting, would realize that someone like Elsa was too freakish even for the girl raised by wolves, would finally understand that the queen _wasn't_ her person. She would pray that Ylva was merely jumping the gun and assuming, that she wasn't Ylva's person because the girl deserved someone that wasn't so much of a freak, someone that _wasn't_ the same gender...

In fact, that was what Elsa was doing right then and there, in the late hours of the night. She crouched at the foot of her bed and prayed with everything she had. For Ylva, dear, sweet Ylva to realize in some semblance what Elsa couldn't bring herself to tell, and forget about her.

Then... _something happened_. She couldn't quite explain it. There was a tug, a pull at her chest as a wave of sudden horror washed over her. Horror and fear and dread filled her veins, she felt like crying and screaming, and a single thought tugged at her mind.

_Ylva_.

And just like that, it didn't matter anymore. It didn't matter that she knew she _shouldn't_. It didn't matter that this one action could be the downfall of all she had worked for. It didn't matter that Bjorn snored, unaware, as she left him behind.

Her only concern was running faster.

* * *

It didn't occur to Elsa that she knew where Ylva was without even considering it, as she threw the door to the library. Her eyes immediately drew to the dying fire - more specifically, the form curled in front of it, tangled in blankets and writhing as though struggling against an invisible foe.

Concern, having already been present, flooded her as she rushed over and slid to her knees as she worked to untangle the blanket trapping the girl while near-yelling. "_Ylva!_"

Mismatched and watery eyes shot open, and a strangled cry left her as she tried to jump up, only to yelp as she slipped on the blanket and fell to the ground on her side with a heavy _thump!_ The blonde had barely made any progress at all with untangling her before Ylva threw herself at her with a strangled sob.

For a brief second, Elsa froze. But as arms wrapped around her tight, as the shorter molded herself into the blonde's shape, getting as close as humanly possible, she snapped out of it and held the trembling girl. As she gently shushed her, running her fingers through inky hair while lightly rocking the girl in her arms, she murmured soothingly. "It's alright, Ylva, I have you..."

Ylva buried her face in the pale, smooth neck as she tried to stifle her noises of dismay while hyperventilating. She tried to speak, but all that came out were raspy sobs, and she finally just shook her head into the queen's shoulder as she gave great, heaving breaths while grabbing two fistfuls of her nightdress and trying to pull her ever closer.

The blonde pressed her lips to her temple, shifting a bit to move into a more comfortable position only to stop as a fresh, stronger wave of shudders washed over the girl clutching to her.

"_No_, don't leave me, please," Her rasps were only just barely intelligible as her arms tightened around the blonde, begging weakly. "I know you told me not to-not to touch you, but _please_..."

_God_, she could feel Ylva's heart slamming against her chest through the close proximity. If she were none the wiser, she would have been concerned that it might beat right out of her chest, at the rate and strength it was pulsing...

Shushing her, Elsa rubbed her back while assuring her quietly, "I'm not leaving." Moving again, she didn't receive any protests as she shifted the girl into her lap, frowning as jerky breaths made Ylva's shoulders jump a bit and resting her chin on the girl's head. "I'm right here..."

And that was how they stayed, for longer than either girl cared to count. Ylva tried to silence the cries that came tumbling from her lips and burned into the blonde's neck, trying and failing to spare the taller from her tears. Elsa held her and gently rocked her back and forth, and after a time began to hum a soothing tune, silently, guiltily reveling in the warmth that came from the girl in her arms as she rubbed her back.

Another wave of sobs wracked Ylva, though she was struggling to contain them, and she sniffled, voice cracking. "I think I ruined your dress..."

"I really, honestly don't care."

At her assurance, the shorted dropped her head back into the already-wet shoulder and gave a shuddery breath. "And I'm sorry I'm... sorry that I... _this_." Sniffling, she muttered more to herself than to the woman holding her, "It's been a long while since I've had this happen..."

Light brows curved in concern, and Elsa had to physically stop herself from moving away to look at her in order to avoid causing the scarred girl any more potential distress. "This has happened before?"

Ylva nodded, nuzzling the blonde's neck as she trembled. She went quiet for the next few minutes, and Elsa had just started to assume that the girl didn't want to discuss it before she mumbled into her shoulder, unknowingly making the blonde shudder at the warm patch of humidity that was her breath, "For as long as I can remember..." Adding quickly, quietly, "It used to be worse, but it's better now..."

"Worse than this...?" The blonde pulled away a bit to look at her, hands sliding from her hair to her shoulders, brows drawn up in concern before smoothing out a bit in fondness as the smaller's lower lip stuck out in a slight pout at her pulling away.

"_Worse than this_." She breathed, leaning forward to fill the space between them and giving a muffled whimper as the queen began to tense up, opting to bring up memories Elsa was sure she didn't really want to recall in order to keep the queen from distancing herself again. "I've been having that damn nightmare for as long as I can remember; it's kind of like an omen... Either something good is going to happen, or something _really bad_ is going to happen."

Hands lifting on their own accord to run through the black hair, she bit back a frown while resisting the urge to lean back and look at her again. "How do you know if it's good or bad?"

"_I don't know_," She replied with a sniffle, briefly nuzzling the blonde's shoulder before giving a shuddery breath. "I don't know... I wish I did, really, I do, but I just... _don't_. All I know is that they get worse and that they mean... _something_. Pretty much every major event in my life has happened after having that _damn_ nightmare." A tremor ran through her. "Remember how I told you to always feel? Well, I'm a hypocrite..." Her grip on Elsa's nightdress tightened. "I can't tell you how many times I've wished I never felt anything."

Elsa could feel her grimace into her skin, and she fought off a frown. She wanted to tell Ylva not to say that, to take it back, because feeling really was the best thing in the world when she let it... Hearing the faint bitterness and the reminiscing loneliness in her voice, feeling her shoulders slump; it was something that felt _wrong_. More wrong than she knew the stirring feeling in her chest was.

So for the first time in what felt like ages, she let it go, if just for the moment... Since she first realized what that bubbly feeling in her stomach was, she stopped worrying about the feelings that she knew were wrong, and simply focused on making the girl curled in her lap feel better.

Leaning back, a smile tugged at her lips as a protest died in Ylva's throat when she cupped the girl's face, and she bit her lip to keep a small bout of laughter from escaping as the girl leaned into her hand. "What is it? You're nightmare, I mean..." She inquired lightly, making sure that her tone told her that she _meant it_ when she told her, trailing off, "If you don't want to..."

Ylva blinked, eyes still watery but frown tugging less harshly at her lips as she nuzzled the hand cupping her cheek. "It's not that, it's that I'm worried _you_ don't - or won't - want to." A wry smile curled the ends of her lips as she idly fiddled with her fingers. "No, this is-" Her voice caught in her throat, and she jerked her head out of Elsa's hand before bowing her head. "This is fine, right now... _More than fine_, actually; this is great..."

Her chest squeezed at the sight of her uncertain friend. "You're not going to scare me off, if that's what you're worried about..."

"_Are you sure about that?_" Her head shot up, and her mismatched eyes looked pained as they met the queen's blues, her cursed eye's glow dimmed as she bit her lip. "Because I try and I try, but all I ever seem to do is drive you away..." She went quiet for a moment before her eyes went wide and a muffled yelp left her as as both her hands slapped over her mouth, and she jerked back as muffled apologies spilled between her fingers.

"_Oh gods_," Visibly shivering, hands still over her mouth, she squirmed. "I am so sorry, I don't even know-" A whine grew in her throat. "_What have I done...?_ You were talking to me and _right there_, and everything was going so great and you weren't _scared of me_ for once-"

"Ylva..." The blonde frowned and moved to touch her leg, only to have her frown deepen as the girl cringed. "You've thought..." She hesitated. "You think I'm scared of you...?"

Hopelessness filled the girl's voice. "_I'm not an idiot_, so please... you don't have to spare my feelings, Elsa." She slumped and another whimper left her. "I'm sorry... I'm not good at being a dog, I'm not good at being at a person, and I really, _really_ wish that I - that _your_ person was someone more deserving of it; someone who knew what they were, that knew _how_ to be what they were, that didn't _scare you_ like I do..."

Elsa stared, a lump growing in her throat. _Was this why Ylva thought she was avoiding her...?_ It made her chest physically _ache_ when she wondered just how long her thief had been thinking like she was, of when and how she started considering the thought, and of how many times she must have pondered it for it to come out like this.

What was worse, _she wasn't blaming Elsa_... It might not have hurt the queen so much, if she were angry or frustrated at her, but the only thing Elsa could find in her face were unspoken apologies and guilt...

Maybe it was the defeated look in the girl's eyes. Maybe it was the way she slumped, the was she mumbled another earnest apology. Maybe it was the way she fiddled with her fingers and refused to meet her eyes... But either way, Elsa all but leapt at her and pulled her into the biggest, tightest hug she could muster.

At first, she could feel Ylva tense, and her hands shifted from pushing her away to pulling her closer to just resting on her sides before finally just dropping to her sides limply. She sat there, unmoving other than her heavy trembling, and Elsa merely buried her face into the crook of her neck.

"I'm sorry." Ylva choked out. "I'm sorry I'm not... I don't know what to do or how to handle this, or emotions, or just _people_, really, because after Mawwi died keeping me safe from that _damnedable_ bear, all I ever had to worry about was staying alive and telling my stories to entertain brief friends I made for a night or two; I still fully expect you to throw to the wolves any day, now, and will _welcome_ it when you do-"

"_Hush_," The blonde chided gently, cupping the scarred girl's face with both of her hands and pressing a chaste kiss on her nose before resting her forehead against hers. "My stupid, silly little thief... I am _not_ scared of you, nor is any of this your fault. You're perfect just the way you are-"

"I-_I am?_" She stared dumbly, and Elsa could feel the warmth as the shorter's cheeks flushed.

Elsa's lips curved up and she lightly rubbed her nose against hers. "You are," She confirmed quietly. "And you're so selfless it _hurts_. Please, _please_ don't think I'm afraid of you, because I'm _not_..." Her words got caught in her throat, and she cursed herself internally...

There was so much she wanted to tell Ylva. She wanted to chase all her fears away with her words, wanted to confess about her powers, wanted to apologize for all the emotions she had put both her and herself through; but her mouth just stopped cooperating with her.

Luckily, Ylva could read people like Elsa read books. Her mismatched eyes crinkled at the corners as her arms lifted and wrapped around the queen's neck in a loose embrace, and she gave a shaky breath as she relaxed, if just a bit. "Gods... you-I-_you_." Elsa found herself extremely grateful that she wasn't the only one who was suddenly floundering with her words as the cursed girl flushed and stumbled but _didn't move away_ as she gave a shaky chuckle. "I... _Mawwi was right_. Having your person is the best feeling in the world."

The blonde didn't realize tears were welling in her eyes until Ylva briefly nuzzled her cheek and mumbled weakly. "Don't cry, please..." Her eyes flicked over the queen's face, slowly, with deliberation, as though she were trying to memorize every detail. A smile tugged at her lips. "I didn't know you had freckles... it's a _little bit_ completely adorable."

Elsa didn't reply, instead merely quirking her lips in a smile of her own. She raised a hand before hesitating, asking tentatively, trailing off before she could finish her sentence, "Can I...?"

"You could do anything in the world to me, and I wouldn't mind it." She told her firmly without any hesitation, voice so full of affection and tenderness that it made Elsa's breath get caught in her throat.

Her hand trembled slightly as raised it to the girl's right eye, faltering in her action right before she could touch the deep scars, and Ylva gave a breath of laughter before leaning forward and finishing the action for her.

Ylva's eyes slid shut as she leaned into the hand, and Elsa found herself smiling as she her fingers over the scars. The pads of her fingers just _barely_ stroked over the very faint scars on her eyelids, mimicking the differing deepness of the three scars as she came to them. As her fingers trailed the deep cuts in her brow, the girl shuddered and Elsa faltered.

"Did that hurt...?

"_Gods_, no." She breathed, eyes still closed as she took a deep breath. "Sorry... no one's ever touched... _it_. Hell, _I_ barely touch it, much less look at it. It feels different." Adding quickly, she peeked her left eye open. "_A good different_... Don't stop." Her other eye shot open as she added hurriedly, "Unless, of course, you want to..."

The blonde breathed a laugh and resumed tracing her scars, grinning as a steady noise rumbled from her thief's chest. "Are you... _purring?_"

Her purring immediately stopped and she jerked, but made a visible effort to not move away. Her brows twitched together in mock irritation, eyes still closed as she snorted through her nose. "No I am _not_. I don't _purr_."

"I think you were..."

Ylva grumbled with a huff. "Well, I wasn't-" Her voice choked as Elsa ran her fingers along the line of her jaw, tensing up as pale fingers brushed against the barest scratches on her chin. As her thumb brushed against the scar running over her lip, Ylva's eyes shot open and she tensed again before falling limp against her. "_Oh_..." As Elsa started to ask if she was alright, she straightened up, face flushed as she idly brushed herself off. "Oh gods, sorry, I don't know _what_ that was." As the blonde's grin grew, she turned an even darker shade of red. "_Stop making that face!_"

"What face...?" She bowed her head as she stifled a bout of giggles. "I'm not making a face..."

A playfully distressed whine left the girl before she dropped her head into Elsa's shoulder. Despite her seemingly annoyed actions, Elsa could feel her smile into the crook of her neck. At the loss of access, the queen settled with just running her fingers through the inky hair again as it went quiet.

After a few minutes, a short while after Elsa had assumed she had fallen asleep, Ylva spoke up again. "It's a bear."

She cocked her head to the side. "Pardon?"

"My nightmare, _the_ nightmare," Ylva exhaled against the pale neck. "I'm always in the forest, as a young girl I think, walking with a woman. Most of her details are always blurred, but she had jet-black hair and small eyes and I know that I feel very strongly about her..."

Despite the sudden new topic, Elsa followed along with interest. "That doesn't sound too bad..."

"It's not," She admitted. "It never is, not at first... it's always _great_ at first. She's brilliant. A _genius_. And everything she says has me completely enamoured. I think she's telling me about the area...? The trees, and any properties they have...? Anyway, we're walking and she's talking, and then there's a _noise_..."

"Take as much time as you need." The taller reminded her gently, rubbing her back as the room suddenly felt darker than it had before.

Her thief paused before continuing quietly, a mere mumble, "The sound of a grunt, and it sounds _big_. Always. I know it's a bear, now, but in the nightmare it just sounds like a monster. A monster that's _far_ too close... And the woman just drops my hand and tells me to run back home. I do as she asks without question, but..."

"But?"

Her voice did a little tremor. "I stop at her scream. Or sometimes at the bear's roar. I look back. I _always_ look back, even when I know _in the dream_ that I shouldn't..."

Elsa's brows curved up as she waited patiently for the girl while she breathed, knowing fully well that she wasn't done. Maybe if it were someone else, she might be finished, but she wasn't...

"There's _so much blood_," Ylva's voice cracked, but she didn't break out into sobs as the blonde had half-expected. "It soaks into the ground, into her skin and the bear's fur, and it crawled from where the bear is ripping into her and onto me. I can always feel it, even after the dream ends, in every pore, dripping from my fingertips..." She shuddered and nuzzled the pale woman's neck, curling ever closer. "And through the blood and gore of it all, through the woman's thrashing and screams, I can see the glint of teeth. The bear stopped, although occasionally he'll just continue to rip chunks out of her, but this time, like the very first time, she looked at me with her soulless black eyes... Sometime around that point, I whirl on my heel and run, but-" She stopped and swallowed a sob.

Idly petting her hair, she reminded her, "You may stop, if you wish..."

"No, I'm fine..." Taking a deep breath, the girl loosely hugged her before continuing. "I run, but it's too late. It's always too late for the very first time, so the same hurt replays, over and over and over again. And _gods_, does it hurt. It makes everything feel numb, it makes my limbs feel like ice as my mind races a mile a minute... I run as far and as fast as I can take me, and the terror lingers through it all, up until I finally collapse..." She took another breath as she trembled. "And I'll wake up feeling the bear breathing on my face, and for a brief second, see her blood-stained, furry face staring at me... _And that's why I hate bears_." Adding meekly, she muttered, "I could go _so much more_ into detail, but I really don't like pity-fishing..."

Elsa sighed with a hint of exasperation as she lightly squeezed the girl in her arms. "It's not _pity-fishing_-"

"Well, it feels like it is.."

"Well, it's not," The blonde pressed her lips on the top of her head. "But I'm willing to let it go... I must say, though, considering how absolutely terrified you had been; you told that with a surprising level of... _calm_. Especially considering the fact that you couldn't even string two words together when you first woke from the nightmare..."

She sniffled and made a noise, but the queen couldn't tell if it was a laugh or a strangled sob. "Thank you... it wasn't really all that hard, with you right here, so..."

Her pale cheeks went pink as she asked tentatively, almost scared of what she would hear, "I... mean that much to you...?"

"_Absolutely_." Ylva heaved a sigh, from contentment rather than the after effects of reliving her nightmare. "Elsa, you're my _person_. I let you go as far as to touch my curse when I can't even stand to _look_ at it half the time. _Yes_, you mean that much to me." She tensed, adding quickly, "And, you know, I relive terrifying moments of my life near everyday, at dinner. It's not that big of a deal."

Elsa could feel her flush against her skin, and bit back a smile. "Keep telling yourself that."

"_I will_."

"Good... Maybe someday it _will_ not be that big of a deal."

The shorter sniffed haughtily and nudged Elsa's side. She audibly struggled to find a response, and finally just grunted. "_Maybe_..."

Elsa laughed the half-hearted glare she got.

* * *

Not too long after that, Elsa found herself on the couch in the library, watching Ylva toss another log on the fire.

A muffled noise of annoyance left the queen as her thief started to pick up her cloak, only to turn into a louder noise of distress as the first thing she did was put on that _damned_ hood. As Ylva turned to look at her questioningly, she all but growled, "_Take it off_."

The hooded girl sniggered and flashed a smile before walking over and plopping down on the couch next to her. "It's my security blanket..."

"I _loathe_ it."

"It makes me feel safe." She defended with a chuckle, raising her arms in submission as she bowed her head towards the queen, giving her silent permission to push it back.

Elsa tugged it back with a huff. "Find something _else_ that makes you feel safe."

"You."

The blonde faltered and stopped, face turning pink as she stared. "What...?"

Ylva immediately tensed up and jerked away with a curse, turning red as she slapped a hand over her mouth, looking mortified, "_Oh_, gods, sorry, that didn't - I didn't mean to say that out loud!"

Heart soaring as she beamed, Elsa laughed into her hand. "It's fine."

"No, it's not fine," She groaned, hand still firmly over her mouth and muffling her words. "I need to learn how to shut my damn mouth..."

"It's cute," The blonde assured her, biting back a giggle as she pulled the girl's hand away. "And I don't mind it at all... It's actually quite refreshing, knowing that I'm around someone who won't withhold anything from me, be it willing or not."

"I'd never keep anything from you." She replied instantly, faltering as her brows twitched together before shaking her head and holding an arm out in silent question.

Elsa's smile turned fond as she leaned against the shorter and stifled a yawn as the warm arm fell over her shoulders. "I know..."

"You're my person," She continued, mumbling, sounding more like she was talking to herself than to Elsa. "I do whatever it takes to keep you safe... even if it means I have to do something you might not like..."

Her eyes shot open at that, and she gave the girl a look. "What?"

"Nothing, sorry," The pelt-covered girl gave a sheepish smile. "Rambling..." She hesitated some before leaning closer and pressing her lips against Elsa's forehead, brow quirking as the fair queen went red. "Did I do that right...?"

Elsa flushed and tried to stave off a smile. "Fine, fine, you did it fine." At the shorter's questioning look, she merely ducked down and pressed her face into the girl's warm neck. After a few minutes of comfortable silence, and feeling eyes on her the whole time, the blonde finally looked at her with a raised brow. "You're staring..."

_And she was_. Fondness glowed (no, it _literally_ made her cursed eye glow) in her her eyes, and a small smile had tugged at her lips until Elsa had pointed out the fact and made it drop as she flushed. "I-I - am I...?" At the queen's nod, she shrunk a bit. "So-sorry... I was just... trying to memorize it-_you_," She fumbled. "You-you're not an '_it_', of course, you're-you're you and-"

Ylva got cut off by Elsa's laugh, and she grinned as the fair queen molded back into her side and rested her head in the crook of the cursed girl's neck as they both fell silent.

A thought occurred to her as Ylva began to purr and nuzzled the crown of her head. _This couldn't last forever_...

When dawn came, she would have to distance herself again, because her feelings were only growing steadily stronger... it was more than just a crush, now, and she was certain of it, if the fluttering in her insides were anything to go by.

But she couldn't bring herself to tell Ylva. She couldn't bring herself to stop _this_, not yet... because by God, did she feel better than she had since realizing that she had feelings for the girl... She would cross that bridge when she came to it, because she couldn't bring herself to pull away.

So, as her eyes flitted shut, Elsa curled closer and pressed a kiss to Ylva's neck against her pulse-line, sliding an arm around her middle as she sighed contentedly.

Because if she was going to indulge, she might as well go all out, right...?

And as her mind drifted to oblivion, lulled to sleep by the steady thumping of Ylva's heart, she heard the girl speak through her cloudy mind.

Ylva either told her '_I've missed you,_' or '_I'm going to miss you_.'

That should have been a red flag... Not even the _first_, but the most recent of many. If she had been thinking a little clearer, if she had been in a more cautious state, she would have noticed the longing, apologetic look Ylva was giving her. She would have noticed the _several_ longing, guilty looks Ylva had been giving her. Noted the sudden, forward-ness that the girl never really had when it came to her...

Maybe if she had, she would have realized that the night, or morning, or whatever time of day it was, had been an odd sort of goodbye. A last fumbling grasp for a straw, a last chance for an odd sort of reconciliation, a moment of weakness before the coming storm.

_But she didn't_. Later, it would occur to the queen that it was really only karma in the works, but during that moment, the blonde merely smiled in her sleep as Ylva lightly brushed a thumb over her cheek.

* * *

**Author's note~**

**WOWZERS this is late af. But since monday, I've been up 'til 2 trying to finish this mo-fuckin' art project every gd night, and I literally slept _all_ day yesterday, catching up on my z's. My dad thought I had died. It was cray, yo. I cant even-  
**

**ALSO wow, LEt ME LOVE YOU, because I got 200 reviews I think? Or somewhere close. And another wow because jesusfuck I feel awkward af posting this mess up, but I REFUSE to rewrite it a 3rd time, so you're getting this. I figured I'd throw out some more fluff before bitches start dyin', you feel me? (and no, I'm not gonna elaborate on that, sorry not sorry!)**

**Aasdfghjkl; gosh I'm so sorry this is late! Iiiii suck. Fo' shizzle. I totes agree. But trying to NOT flunk out of highschool is takin' it outta me, no shit. Fuqin' math, fuckin' glib GLOBIT :C If I could just sit and write this all day, every day, I totes would!**

**Iiii'm gonna stop before I start getting emotional and junk. Love all you peeps! Peace off and bless your faces!**

**********************ʕ´ᴥ`ʔ** Bear with me, guys!

******, _Blue_**


	19. Chapter 19

"_ELSA!_"

The queen jumped with a cry as a familiar redhead leapt onto her stomach, trailed by an army of animals as well as Kristoff and a number of people, and none of them looked happy.

"_How could you let Ylva do this?!_" Anna cried, distress thick in her voice as tears threatened to trickle from her watery eyes. "I know you two were going through a tense time, but to go _this_ far?! How could you - _why_ would you - I thought that you two-" She choked on her words as a tear leaked from her eye, and the sight made Elsa sit up immediately, furiously blinking in an attempt to dispel her drowsiness.

"Wha-what's going on, what's happening?" She looked around and frowned slightly in disappointment when she didn't catch sight of her thief. "Where is Ylva...?" Her eyes looked behind her younger sibling, meeting several pairs of eyes with more alertness this time. A bear, a reindeer, a raven sitting on the reindeer's antler, a massive mule, a large ice harvester and an even larger blacksmith met her increasingly bewildered gaze. Various animals, and more wolves and dogs than she could count all crowded around her; the various beasts and birds and fewer (but still high enough in number to stick out to her) people trickled through the door that lead to the hall. "And why is there a zoo in my castle...?"

Anna spluttered and shook the blonde. "_Forget about them!_ Ylva left to go confront the alpha wolf with the blessings of _your_ generals, and you're laying around - _sleeping!_" She gave a vigorous shake to reinforce her next words. "_Ylva. Is. About. To. Go. To. Her. Death!_ I don't care if you knew about it or not, but you gotta go and stop her before she does something stupid, because she won't listen to any of us!" A hawk perched on a bookshelf screeched in agreement.

"Wait," Her brows furrowed before her eyes went wide. Panic bloomed in her chest. "_What?!_ What's-when did this happen?!"

"Apparently they agreed to it sometime last night, I don't know, _we gotta go!_"

Elsa shot up and flew out of the library, only to freeze halfway down the hall as Anna screeched after her.

"_Other way_, Elsa, we have to go to the stables!"

She slid to a stop, nearly slipping as she whirled on the pads of her feet, vigorously rubbing her eyes to get rid of the heavy feeling in them as she sprinted after Anna.

The blonde never noticed the satchel that was strapped over her torso.

* * *

When Elsa, trailed by more animals than she cared to count as well as a smaller but still significant amount of people, barged into the stables, she was met with shocked generals, councilmen, and a grim Halvor.

The massive man's near colorless eyes met hers, and his default frown was even deeper than normal. His brows curved up, if only a fraction of an inch, and he sighed. "My sincerest apologies, my queen. You are too late... I tried to stall, but... she is determined, if nothing else."

Her heart went dropping into her stomach and her eyes went wide as despair clouded her mind for a moment. One of the councilmen sniffed "It was her own fault, anyway... We've been dragged into a pointless war with mother nature; I say it's all good and well that she's off to end it. Wiser and what not, to lose one girl rather than hundreds to said girl's mistake."

A great many of the people crowded into the stables froze, and fury grew so thick in the stables that one could _see_ it simmer in the air. Ylva truly had left an impact, as every single general, every commander, every guard and soldier that had come to see her off; every citizen, trader, half-mad beggar and child melded in the mob of beasts bristled.

Halvor in particular got a stormy look in his eyes, a vein in his forehead throbbed as he opened his mouth to reply, only to freeze as the queen ground out between gritted teeth, seething, "How _dare_ you...? How _dare_ you speak about her like that, like she had meant for this to happen!"

The man grimaced behind a thick mustache. "For all we know, she _did_. There was a layer of secrecy that shrouded that blasted, half-wild, beast of a girl. A storm brewed in her presence, one that threatened to release at the slightest, most subtle prod. Quite frankly, your majesty, ever since she became a frequent visitor to the castle, I found myself fearing for your safety; _especially_ since she seemed to hang off of you the most."

Every animal bristled in tandem with Elsa as she struggled to keep as dignified and proper as any decent queen could while yelling at someone, also trying to ignore the sudden urge to freeze the man's toes to the floor. "You _dare!_ That _girl_ was my dear friend, and has already tried to throw her life away to fix this, once! The only reason she didn't was because _I went after her!_ The only reason she didn't proceed was because she stopped to ensure my safety!"

"I am aware of such happenings. With all due respect, my queen," He raised his nose. "I believe you were in _error_ to stop her. If you had not, none of us would be in this ridiculous war with _mangy mutts_. She was a bad influence."

Icy tendrils crawled across the dirt floor from her feet as her hands clenched tightly into into fists, and a few people began to cringe away as the queen's eyes went dark. "Bad influence. _Bad influence?!_"

Halvor cut in before Elsa could do anything she might regret, grabbing the rather scrawny man by the collar of his coat and lifting him clear off of the ground with a low growl. "That _bad influence_ was the only one that volunteered to be out there at three in the morning, every single night without fail, so that sorry sacks of flesh like you could sleep easy at night. She's brought life into the castle, the queen, and my men; so if you even _think_ about continuing where you've left off, _you had best think again_."

"Well, no matter," He choked out, flinching as the muscular man glowered. "She's gone now and forever, anyhow..."

The blonde harrumphed, mind now made up. "Not for long. I'm going after her."

He spluttered, face going red with indignation. "Wh-what?! You can't-"

"I am the _queen_. If I wish to go out and find her, then damn it all, _I will_. The only one that will be affected by my going is me, so you have not the right nor the gall to tell me otherwise..." Elsa sniffed, rage bubbling away into something different, something determined. "I need a horse."

The blacksmith, Gunnar, spoke up with his rumbly boom of a voice. "How about a mule...?"

The queen turned to study the large, bearded man, taking in his unruly beard and eyes that appeared to reflect the blazing flames of the forge he worked tirelessly at. She could see the turmoil that danced and swirled in his eyes, the distress and concern he tried and failed to hide. She tried to offer words of comfort, but her stomach twisted into knots as a question left her lips, instead of assurances. "And a sword?"

As she internally slapped a palm to her forehead, cursing her sudden fall of grace in the massive man's shadow. Despite it, the large man grinned underneath his beard, and Elsa had the feeling that he knew exactly what she had intended to say even though she hadn't.

"What do you take me for, Queen Elsa?" Gunnar scoffed and unbuckled his belt, pulling the whole thing off and catching a short sword that had been tied on his belt, attaching it back to the leather before stepping forward and tying it loosely around the queen's middle, ignoring a councilman's outraged noise at the potentially inappropriate act as he loomed down at the blonde. His thick, wiry brows curved up as he got down on one knee. "Please, your majesty... bring the lass home. She's an odd one, but she's got so much potential. Closest thing to a kid I've had since I lost mine when she was a wee thing. _Bring her back in one piece_."

Elsa regarded him carefully. "Believe me when I tell you that there is no one who wants her back unharmed more than I..." She trailed off.

The man gave a bitter laugh as he bowed his head, finishing for her, "But look at who we're talking about, eh?" He lifted his head a bit to look at the fair queen through his brows. "With the storm a'brewin' outside, you'll never find her tracks; but Ingvar will find her one way or another, so worry not." He got to his feet and whistled, and Ingvar parted the various animals like the red sea, snorting as his torn ear flicked. The smith's eyes glistened in the vaguely familiar shadows of his sunken eyes as he bowed his head and stepped away. "Bring my girl back... Bring _our_ girl back."

As she nodded, the same councilman that had very nearly been on the receiving end of her rage spoke up. "Your majesty, if you absolutely _insist_ on stopping the girl, why not send out a team...? Some guards, perhaps? Why put _yourself_ at risk?" Flustered at the icy glare he got, he fumbled. "O-or at least bring some people along with you...?"

At the feeble request, Elsa faltered and glanced back at Anna and Kristoff. The three met eyes, and Anna straightened. "You go on ahead." The princess gave a curt nod as she turned to glance at the burly blonde. "We'll catch up as soon as we can."

A determined look crossed Elsa's face as she hauled herself onto the mule's back. Gunnar gnawed on his cracked lips before telling the fair queen. "Godspeed... I hope you find the lass before she does something stupid."

Her face turned grim. "Me, too." She leaned forward and patted mule's massive neck. "Swiftly, Ingvar. Show these royal steeds the true meaning of '_haste_.'"

Ingvar snorted and stomped on the ground, not even giving the stable-hands a moment to open the doors as he raced at the heavy wooden doors, rearing up and kicking them down with ease. He tossed his head once before thundering through the snow, sending the powdery stuff into the air behind him as he ran head-first into the swirling storm without a moment's hesitation, distant thunder booming low.

Elsa could smell the sharp electricity in the air as her skin prickled. It seemed as though that Ylva had been right... _A storm was coming_.

* * *

Elsa heard them before she saw them, the wolves. After passing the panicking black horse that she was certain had been Ylva's and tying the horse to Ingvar's crude, simple rope harness to keep it from getting lost in the ever-worsening storm, she continued to ride on towards the base of the West Mountain.

A sense of urgency bubbled in her gut as wolves, more than she had ever heard in her life, raised up in a howl through the wall of trees. The black horse whinnied in fear, but Ingvar's furious and stern snort kept it from bolting in fear.

If the situation weren't so dire, if she knew that Ylva probably wasn't in the middle of those howls, the fair queen would have felt like bolting as well. The howls were haunting, chilling to the bone. They were not the joyous song or the gratified howl after a hunt, but a call of victory. Worse than that, it almost sounded... hesitant. Small strings of sadness, helplessness, despair intertwined with the calls.

They came upon a break in the trees, and a gradual downwards slope that lead to a snow-covered plain, and the sight that she saw stole her breath away - and not in a good way.

Hundreds of wolves in every color all wormed around a ring of space. Collected patches of the beasts were scattered about the field, but even the ones that saw her and Ingvar paid them no mind. They had what they had wanted, and they didn't care who came to see and witness...

Halfway down the slope, both Ingvar and Elsa realized that there stood a figure in the middle of the ring of wolves. Elsa's heart leapt into her throat.

Standing in the center of the circle, half camouflaged from her white and cool gray cloak, with bright red contrasting the snow at her feet, stood Ylva. Back straight, confident, dominance visible in her stance, even in the distance.

And she couldn't decide if she was so relieved she could cry, or unbelievably pissed off at the girl as Ingvar whinnied and broke into a sprint, forcing the other horse to follow him as he plowed through both snow and wolf alike while Elsa pulled the sword from her belt.

* * *

By the time they had reached Ylva, Elsa's sword was scarlet with wolf blood. Not even bothering to stop, Elsa grabbed Ylva by the scruff of the pelt on her shoulders and heaved her up onto Ingvar as Ingvar ran by, dropping her over the mule in front of her like a rag doll, this time uncaring if the cursed girl was laying over the beast like a killed animal or not.

Elsa ignored it when Ylva righted herself, still cutting through the thick masses of writhing, bristling, snarling wolves as Ingvar continued to plow through them.

It wasn't until Ylva grabbed two fistfuls of the mules light-colored mane and pulled at it with all her might did the snow queen finally stop to look at her, with confusion as well as fury when the girl cried out with panic lacing her yell. "_Stop!_"

Apparently, the grief, fear, and anger she had caused Elsa wasn't enough, because Ylva pushed Elsa off of the large mule's back. The queen hadn't noticed that the wolves had stopped tearing after them a good twenty feet ago...

As she leapt to her feet, nostrils flaring as she roughly shook off the snow on her dress, she heard Ingvar's distressed cry. And then, she saw his front half start to fall as he tried to whirl around and retreat back. Ylva, having jumped off just before the snow had crumbled beneath him, had him by the crude reins and with the help of the other horse tied to the rope hauled him back up.

Before Elsa could ask, before her nose could even twitch, Ylva was on her with a sharp whine. "What are you - _please_ don't ever blindly run a horse without knowing the area again, because you almost ran us off of a cliff, and - _no_, wait, that's not important right now," She made a face. "What the f- _what are you even doing here?!_ You shouldn't be here; you should be asleep, in the library where it's safe!" Her hands jerked up to twist into the fur of her hood, fear etched onto her face and panic in her voice. "No, a better question would be _why did you think doing that was a good idea?!_ You killed and injured people and now they're all pissed and-"

One of the wolves, large and scarred, snarled as he and several others began pacing about but never going further to the edge. Despite that, Ylva flinched and threw an arm out protectively as she took a step forward, a low mix between a growl and a groan leaving her.

Elsa scowled, feelings still in turmoil as she forced the girl's arm down, snow now mere streaks of white on the wind. "You don't have to protect me! I'm more than capable of defending myself!" Ylva didn't look away from the wolf, and the blonde's scowl deepened at being ignored. If she had already furious, she was absolutely _livid_, now. Ylva had lied, put her through Hell and back, stolen her every other thought, and was now ignoring her! A thought in the back of her head reminded her that it probably wasn't how it seemed, that her already unsteady emotions from nearly running them off the edge of a cliff, were making things seem worse than they were...

But still, the snow queen tightened her hold on the short sword, using her other hand to grab the shorter's chin and _make her_ meet her icy eyes.

Ylva's mismatched eyes met hers, quickly softening as a surprisingly warm hand reached up to grab the pale one gripping her chin. Leaning in close, her warm breath ghosting over the queen's face and making Elsa blush as she told her, "I know you are, Elsa, but no one else has to die today... Just stay quiet, please, and let me try and bring them down, okay?"

Without waiting for an answer, she turned back to the wolves, whimpers and growls soft, but not submissive as she communicated with the scarred wolf.

The Ice Queen tried her best to slow her racing heart, to avoid counting and losing count of all the wolves that had them cornered against the cliff, to not let her thoughts wander to dark places that told her to just wipe all the wolves out now, while they were all together in a clump.

It wasn't until the large wolf's fur bristled and he gave a particularly loud snarl did Elsa raise her sword again. Ylva tried to stop her, but the damage was done, apparently; the wolf licked his snapping jaws and the rest followed suit, gold and blue and brown and gray eyes glinting as steady growls became a hum.

Slumping, the hooded girl heaved a sigh. "Ah, crap... They were mad to begin with, but _now_..." Glancing at the queen besides her, she gave a wry, somewhat forced smile, stupidly calm despite the situation. "You know, we really have a severe lack of communication, you and I. We're going to have to work through that, because it _really_ causes both of us a lot of grief."

Elsa couldn't help but glare, the muffled fury coming back full-force. "You're an _idiot_."

"I'm _your_ idiot," Ylva corrected, trying to sound light and playful but really just sounding worn-out as she sighed. "I wish I wasn't, though... I wish I hadn't been _born_, at this point, because all I've done so far is mess things up. You really deserve better. But," She gave a wry, humour-less smile. "No matter, now, because we have to find a way out of this. They know not to come any closer, so as long as we stay here we're relatively safe while we try to think of how to fix this. _Relatively_..."

"I can't believe you did something so _stupid_," The blonde all but growled, clenched hand tightening into a fist. "I told you not to do this again. You said you would; you _promised_ you wouldn't!"

With a wry smile, she reminded her, "Technically, I didn't promise anything... I just nodded. That was it."

"You think yourself so clever, but you're _not!_ Did you think no one would miss you when you were gone, that no one would care?! Did you think that if you didn't die trying to be a hero, you would die as a street rat?!" Ylva grimaced and shifted, opening her mouth to tell the blonde to stop and only getting yelled at. "_No!_ You're going to let me finish, damn it all!"

She frowned, brows curving up. "Elsa..."

The fair queen ignored her. It was so cold, she didn't feel the ice as it branched through her veins, as her fingertips grew colder than they already were. "There was all but an _army_ there to wake me, all of them begging me to stop you from doing this, pleading; _Anna was crying!_ They all screamed for me to stop you, all before I even knew what time of day it was! _It wasn't fair!_" She cried, feeling tears well in her eyes but pushing herself to continue. "You told me that you are an open person, Ylva Wild-Born, but in reality, you have just as many secrets, and dozens of more lies than I!"

"Elsa," Her voice cracked, a pained look crossing her face as she hesitated, unsure if she should move closer to the raging queen or back away. "I'm _sorry_. I know, but everything I've done to upset you, I did in an attempt to make things better for you... _Every time_, it was to try and... _I always meant well_. You didn't know, but I always meant well, even if it meant ill for me..."

Winds picked up, snow flew and nearly cut into skin at its speeds. "_That's the point!_" Elsa told her frustratedly, "You haven't an ounce of self-preservation! You pretend to keep promises to try and keep me safe, _but I don't need you to!_ I'm the Ice Queen! I can kill with a single touch, I can bring a whole country to its knees with a mere wave of my hand! This whole time you've been all but killing yourself to keep me safe, when in reality, _I_ should have been the one protecting _you_, you stupid, ignorant, selfless girl!"

Ylva faltered and moved to take a step closer, only to flinch as a sharp wind blew her hood off and pause as the wolves began to back away with unease before fighting the gusts to get closer to the blonde. "Wait, what...? What on earth are you...?" She shook her head, choosing to ignore the queen's odd words and settling on trying to put her a bit more at ease. "Okay, we can dwell on that later... Elsa, _you're my person_. You could be a _god_, and I would still do the same as I have been... People are getting hurt because of me - both dog and person alike. I have to fix this..."

"_Why?!_" She prompted sharply. "Why do you have to fix it?! Why does any of this concern you?"

The cursed girl heaved a sigh and slumped, giving the taller a pleading look. "You know..." She trailed off, gesturing to the queen weakly. "Because when people, when _humans_ get hurt, it concerns you. And when things concern you, they concern _me_, because you're my person."

"What does that even mean?!" Ice began forming a layer over her fingers, slowly but surely inching its way up, but she didn't notice. "You don't even _know_ what that means! I get the feeling that no one, not even the dogs know!"

"Okay, you're right," She admitted disarmingly, still struggling with the winds but making progress as she got close enough to brush her fingers against the blonde's arm. "No one _really knows_ what it means; because it's not something you or anyone at all is supposed to know, it's supposed to be about what you _feel_."

Neither noticed that the wolves were scrambling away, yelping as they sensed the power coming from Elsa. Even Ingvar and the horse began snorting and whinnying with unease, slowly backing away from the Snow Queen. The clouds darkened as the storm steadily worsened.

Everything was suddenly happening too fast, all of Elsa's self-control had gone a while ago. Her veins went so cold that they _burned_, but she didn't notice. The power in her reared up, screaming in her frozen blood, echoing through her head and dulling all her senses.

As Ylva moved to hug her, a single thought drifted into her mind through all the panic and fury and hurt that had been building up for far too long.

_Don't touch me_.

And Elsa shoved her away. Her powers melded in with her actions, sending long clubs of ice with the movement and forcing the girl back, back, right up to where the snow ended over the cliff.

She quickly realized what she had done, and Ylva staggered as the snow and ice beneath her groaned at the sudden weight, mismatched and wide eyes meeting hers, cursed golden globe glowing through the thick snow.

A single word uttered through Elsa's lips, in disbelief. She couldn't believe she had done that, she couldn't move or react... "No."

As the snow began crumpling at the pelt-covered girl's feet, she saw the fear in her thief's eyes before she dropped from the edge, not even having enough time to cry out or try to jump inwards towards the more solid snow.

Elsa lost her breath, staring, wide-eyed as tears froze upon her cheeks, hoping and praying with everything she had that this was a nightmare. Everything in her screamed, her heart stopped...

And then, the mighty Ice Queen of Arendelle broke.

* * *

**Author's note~**

**WHOOPS, I did it again. It has been a whole week since I've updated, yo, that's suckish. And this chapter is alll... all... ngh. Its not... I don't have words. Well, I actually do, but I think it would be best if I just didn't really say them.**

**So, sorry for the wait again. Like, for realzies, that was a lil' ridonkulous for me, and this one wasn't even good enough to be WORTH the wait. I had a helluva tme on this one, it was hard to write af... On the bright side, Ylva finally knows that Elsa has powers. On the other, she's now over the edge of a cliff because of said powers... Can I get a 'WHAT THE FUCK BLUE'? Haaa, I'm getting some bricks. I can feel it. Well'p BRING IT. I ALREADY MADE A WALL FROM THE BRICKS YOU THREW LAST TIME.**

**Anywho, get ready fo' some emotions, yo. It's probably gonna be pretty bad, but um. Yeah... It's gonna be pretty bad :\**

**So, I'm sure a lotta you peeps hate me right now, but I still love the shit out of you! Hope this one wasn't TOO bad! And if it was, well... thanks for putting up with my shite writing!~  
**

**Bear with me, guys! ************************ʕ´ᴥ`ʔ**

**, _Blue_  
**


	20. Chapter 20

Her whole world crumbled to the ground as she stared at the spot Ylva had fallen over.

It was like Anna freezing all over again, only _worse_, because this time it hadn't been an accident - it hadn't been an outburst of fear that she couldn't control.

What had been pushing the shorter girl away became striking out at her in Elsa's mind. Her actions warped into an intentional strike that, much like the tamer push, had been fueled by stress, had been out of fear and panic and anger. It twisted and turned into something more malevolent, and the full repercussions of the act, whether it had been in spite or not, fell on Elsa much like the weight of the world had fallen on Atlas' shoulders.

All Ylva had been doing was trying to comfort her... The hooded girl had been weary, probably more so than her, and only just as worried as the queen had been; yet her only concerns had been trying to atone for her mistake, to apologize, to try to make Elsa feel better and calm down, to comfort her when she had needed it... _and she had struck her for it_...

She gave a ragged breath. "I-I didn't _mean_ to..."

Her legs suddenly felt unstable as she tried not to fall to her knees, because she knew that she didn't _deserve_ the right to fall to her knees. It was her fault, and all she could see was the fear in Ylva's eyes. Fear of _her_... and it had been within good reason.

_She was a murderer_. The knowledge repeated in her mind, echoed through her bone and sinew, imprinted on the gaping hole in her chest where her heart used to be. The calls of '_monster_' and '_witch_ cried in her head, and this time she couldn't even try to deny them. She had killed her best friend, she'd killed the person she _loved_...

The realization struck her like a lightning bolt, and her insides screamed even louder at the sudden revelation of what she had but also hadn't known. She loved her...

_Yes_, she loved Ylva, with her easy smile and warm, warm hugs; curse and all. When she hadn't been mongering fear in herself, merely being in the girl's presence had made her feel better, made her insides flutter. Her endearing tendency to worry that she was a bother, the hugs and nuzzles that weren't really as random as they seemed, the ridiculously expressive eyes that could see right through her and near anybody else...

But it was too late... It didn't matter if she loved Ylva or not nor did it matter which kind of love, it didn't matter if it would be frowned up, if she would or wouldn't be scorned for it, because she was dead. Gone. _Forever_...

And it was all her fault.

The air grew so cold that it hurt, even making the ends of the Snow Queen's fingers sting with the bitter chill. Snow and shards of ice blew at speeds so high that they cut into flesh as her thoughts raced between guilt and horror and self-hate. Winds shrieked with her inner laments.

_It's your fault. She was willing to throw everything away for you, to be worn as a trophy if it meant making things easier for you. She's dead because of you. She's dead because all she ever did was love you, even if she didn't know what love was, whether it was platonic or romantic. _

_You killed her. You've killed the person you loved just like before, only this time she's not coming back. This time there's nothing to trick you into believing you're really not a freak of nature that only kills everything you touch._

_You really are a monster..._

And with that, everything went still. Snow and ice froze in their path, once roaring, screaming winds fell silent. And a single, anguished cry broke the silence.

Elsa couldn't find it in her to stand, couldn't reason with herself to stay up any more because even though she didn't deserve to mourn, she couldn't stay on her feet. Her shoulders jerked with silent sobs; this time, not even able to cling to a frozen body as she mourned that which was her fault.

Anna's distant cry fell upon deaf ears as ice began crawling, scrambling from her feet and digging into the ground before shooting up. It curled, twisted, gnarled into a self-made prison that encircled her slumped body. Icy spikes cracked and erupted, following the cage as it curled over her, sharp and so cold that merely touching it would rip flesh from bone in an unshakable grip. She knew, _because she made it so_.

It was the best prison she could make for herself, because she knew that she couldn't stand to touch anyone, much less Anna. She couldn't. She _couldn't_. How could she bring herself to touch anyone ever again...? How could she explain to Anna why she could never hook arms with her again, how could she manage to tell of her horrendous crime...?

Elsa had never been bothered by the cold, but now she was. She dragged her sorry carcass to one end of her circular prison and curled into a ball, facing the wall of ice. She watched with eyes that continuously leaked tears that froze to her cheeks, as a gloomy, red glow began crawling up the side of her wall at her presence. The red, clawed fingers jerked and clambered up at a steady pace, but she couldn't even find it in her to care as she was bathed in an ever-growing red glow.

For the first time in her life, _the cold bothered her_...

And no matter how tightly she drew into herself, it only worsened. No matter how tightly she squeezed her eyes shut, all she could see was Ylva's fear before her fall.

So she prayed. She prayed and begged and pleaded with her God to make the pain stop, to rid the world of the evil that was just _her_, because how could something that caused so much pain possibly be good...?

But He didn't answer. So she moved on. She prayed to Ylva's unnamed gods. She prayed to the older, Nordic gods, and then the Roman gods and the Greek gods that had come before them. She prayed to the gods of Asia she had read of long ago, to the greater powers of Buddhism and Hinduism and the wild gods of where the pyramids she had read about were dedicated to. She prayed to the gods so ancient that no one remembered them, she prayed to the gods of the distant future, to the sun and moon and the clear, crystal sky...

Yet no one answered. And she remained alone. Godless, hopeless; now only wishing to run out of tears so she could lay in her misery without having to stop and brush away the salty water that froze to her cheeks, so she could regret everything she had done in the past month or so without distraction.

A shuddery sob made her whole body jerk. "What have I done...?"

* * *

**Author's note~**

**Short-ass chapter is short. ButbutbutI'm gonna update again tomorrow, I SWEAR to make up for it. Anywho, cackling over here cuz U GUYZ. I love you guys, you all make me grin like a fool, even when you're all cursing and throwin' bricks at me, yo.**

**If I say that Ylva died, willl you all be mad at me? _Probably_...**

**Haaaa, anywho, before I start spoiling shit, I'm headin' out to catch some z's, cuz I'm tired and ill and like sleeping way too much. But I'm also starving and have a headache. So, don't really know how that's gonna work out. Im gunna find out :B**

**UuUuUugGhhh I'mgonnahavetoeditthislaterrr... You might wanna ignore everything you've just read and wait until tomorrow after I update again to read it. I'd wait to post this, but this seriously needed to be it's own thing, and I'm gonna forget to do this if I don't do it now, so yeah. THis is happening because IMMA REBEL, YO. AND THIS IS KINDA YOUR FAULT, because some of you were all 'NEED MOAR RIGHT NOW.' So you got more. Like an hour late, but bleghhjkllhwefwehewqqq24tegfvcxwhateversmayne. If anyone cares, Ive been slowly re-editing thee whole story. I'm on like chapter 7 or 8, idunno. Late, I know, but better late than never! Gettin shtuff done, even if it's takin a bit, woop woop!  
**

**Look, juz trust me when I say that this had to split. It was like a big glass case of even MORe emotion, and I was all 'dude. 2 many feelings in one little crappy chapter. this is a no-no.' I KNOW ITZ SHORT IM SORRY I'M RANTING ITS REALLY LATE and i shouldnt be allowed to wrtie AN's when it's this fukcin late lawd jeezus**

**********************ʕ´ᴥ`ʔ** I know I'm stupid, but jus try to bear with me guyss, ngh! I've been working on a modern!AU oneshot thingy of Ylva and Elsa. They kinda sorta do the do, I think? I'm still fiddling w/it, i'm workin' on it, DON'T JUDGE ME. I DO THAT ENUFF don't need any help, thanks/  


**, _Blue_**


	21. Chapter 21

She wasn't sure how long she had laid there, curled in a ball, hugging herself in an attempt for comfort that she knew she didn't deserve as great, heaving sobs wracked her body.

Anna had come. Elsa had heard her scream through the thick ice, beg for her to melt her prison and come out, but the ice had only thickened and storm worsened. It wasn't until lightning growled from the sky that had only gone darker, did Kristoff finally pull Anna away to find shelter from the storm that was steadily becoming a blizzard.

But still, _it was Anna_. She should have expected her younger, stubborn sister to come back. She heard the younger jump against her prison and use the spikes as stairs with surprising grace, but Elsa didn't mind it. She merely squeezed her eyes shut and curled into a tighter ball.

She knew her sister wouldn't get through the ice. Even if she managed to find the sword Elsa had dropped somewhere and try to chip through the ice using it, the ice would shatter the brittle metal, likely within the first few strikes.

Muffled footsteps clacked against the ice, but Elsa ignored it... not that it was difficult, with her conscience screaming at her. The guilt had not lessened, the self-hate and despair had only grown with the time that had passed.

When the sword didn't break within ten strikes, she didn't notice. It clacked and cut away at the ice, never shattering, even when the tip chipped through and got stuck, and the sword bent into a curve. The heavy booted stomps, the ice cracking, the chips falling into the center of her prison didn't register in her mind.

Feet landed lightly behind her, barely audible they were, but still the gasps for breath didn't get through her despair as she sniffled and tried not to sob. It wasn't until...

"_Elsa_..." The voice, raw and dry, raspy, yet filled to the brim with concern. She heard the person drop to their knees, and she didn't even turn around before arms scooped her up and held her close.

Everything hurt, everything _ached_ at the familiar voice, and the blonde started crying even harder than before, much to the other's dismay.

"No, no, no," She rasped faintly, shifting the woman in her arms so she could bury her face into the cold-to-the-touch neck, ignoring her own discomfort as she breathed a whimper. "I'm sorry, I'm _so_ sorry. Please, please don't cry. I-I promise, I swear on what life I have left in me, I'll never do this again. I'll never lie to you again, I-I'll never do anything even close to this again, unless you want me to. I'll stop - I'll never talk to you again after this if that's what you want.. Say the word and I'll go away forever so you don't ever have to look at me again, just _please_ don't cry..."

Elsa pushed her back, tears streaming as she looked into the paler-than-usual face. Her nose and cheeks were flushed from the bitter cold, and tears threatened to pool from her eyes, looking like a kicked puppy as a whimper left her. A lump grew in Elsa's throat as she moved to touch her face, to make sure this was real, but she couldn't bring herself to do it as a sob ripped from her throat. Her hands trembles as they suspended in air for a moment before limply dropping back to her sides.

_What if she hurt her again...?_

She didn't pull away, but she didn't go back into the embrace. The other girl nodded, more to herself than to the blonde, before leaning in close, bumping her forehead against hers before pressing a shaky kiss to the fair woman's nose. As her thief moved her cold (but still quite warm when compared to the Ice Queen's frigid body temperature) hands to cup her face, a choked whisper left Elsa. "Ylva..."

"I'm here," She assured her gently, brows drawn together in concern. "I'm right here, and I'm so sorry..."

A mix between a laugh and a sob left the queen, as that was what finally made Elsa realize that this was reality. That was what made the red in her self-made prison freeze and begin to drip down, down into the earth and out of sight. Her thief _would_ apologize for being the one pushed off of a cliff. She didn't dare touch her with her hands, but she pressed several chaste kisses all over the girl's chilled face. "You're an idiot," She gasped between kisses and sniffles and sobs. "You're _my_ idiot. God, I'm so-" Her voice got stuck in her throat, but Ylva understood.

"You don't need to apologize, because I was never mad to begin with." But that didn't seem to be enough for the cursed girl, because she grabbed Elsa's wrists despite her protests, expression not quite mournful but not approving as she stared into the other's eyes.

A flutter of fear bubbled in her as a determined look filled mismatched eyes. "Ylva, _no_, you'll get hur-" She didn't get to finish. The shorter pressed her lips to the pale fingers that had nearly killed her, gentle as she made sure to kiss each one before moving on to the other hand. Elsa's cheeks flushed as she told her shakily, fearfully, "I don't want to hurt you again. Please..."

Frowning, she gently pried the fingers clenched into a fist open, splaying her own longer fingers over them. "You won't," She weaved her lightly calloused and scarred fingers with her smooth, near-flawless ones, "Ever," Finishing with a tender look to the fair woman, she leaned in and lightly rubbed her nose against Elsa's. "Hurt me."

When the blonde's face remained unconvinced and fearful, she gave her trademark, easy smile and used her other hand to cup her lightly blushing, tear-tracked face. Elsa protested weakly but still neglected to move away. "How can you say that I'll never hurt you...? _I threw you off of a cliff_."

"_Not really_," She corrected lightly, eyes fluttering shut as she inched closer. "You just tried to push me away. You were scared, and stressed, and pissed, and your powers got mixed in with what would have been harmless." Adding quieter, she mumbled, "Also, _you have ice powers_, wow, that really explains a lot..."

"You're not mad or surprised," Her voice cracked, making Ylva peek an eye open. "Why are you not angry. Why are you not flinching away...? _You should be terrified_. Why aren't you scared of me like you were before-" Her voice broke, so she just stopped before she started crying more.

Ylva gave an indignant look. "I was never scared, not of _you_. I was a little scared because, _hey_, falling off of a cliff does that sometimes. But I got my grappling hook in time, didn't I?"

"What if you _hadn't?_"

She waved it off nonchalantly. "I would've found a way to come out of it okay," Shrugging, her hold on the blonde tightened as she started to pull away. "But stop with the 'what if's, would you? I'm here now. That's what matters. I'm here, and your powers are never going to scare me off." She made a face. "_We're gonna have to have a pretty serious chat_, later on, though..."

Guilt washed over the her again, not as strong or as wracked with horror and dismay, but still there.

And without even looking, Ylva noticed and groaned. "Elsa, _stop_. Stop feeling bad, damn you," She joked meekly, lightly bonking her head to the other's. "You're gonna end up freezing my hands to you, and _that's_ going to be awkward, crawling out of here with my hands stuck to you."

It occurred to her that her thief was joking, but still, fear spiked in her stomach at the thought. "Ylva-"

"_Elsa_," She breathed a laugh, far more at ease than Elsa knew she should have been. "I was _kidding!_ I know you're not going to do that, woman, calm down!" She hesitated, a wry smile curving her lips as she added slyly, "_Chill out_." Then, she started giggling like she had just said the funniest thing ever. "Get it...? Because-because you have ice powers...?"

The blonde tried not to smile, but she knew one twitched at her lips. "Ylva..."

"Geeze, I'm just trying to make you you feel better, there's _snow_ reason to look at me like that."

"Ylva."

Laughs spilled from her lips as she grinned, eyes alight as she told her, "You don't have to give me the _cold shoulder_."

"_Ylva_." A small giggle was quickly stifled.

"I'm just trying to be an _ice_ person, here, and help my person out."

Elsa snorted. "That's terrible..."

"_You're_ terrible," She corrected, grinning wide. "You were trying to put yourself in _ice_-o-lation." Her smile fell as the full weight of her words hit her. "Oh, wait... no, you really were... This was a prison, wasn't it...?"

Face falling, the blonde gave a small nod, voice barely even a whisper. "I... didn't want to hurt anyone else."

"You wouldn't have." She assured her firmly, gentle still as her brows twitched together. It seemed as though that even if her thief knew about her powers, she still didn't _know_. Her control over it was practically nil at the worst of times, and no one knew that better than Elsa.

"No," Elsa corrected glumly, "I probably would have..."

Her torn brow raised. "I've put my trust in you for quite a while. So has Anna, and Kristoff, and all of your subjects... When are you going to trust yourself as much as we all do...?"

That one question just struck a chord somewhere in the fair queen... Everything in her just screamed affection for the girl in front of her, and...

Elsa moved on impulse. She didn't think about the consequences or the what if's or the maybe's. She still didn't move to touch the cursed girl on her own, but she held onto the hand holding hers with everything she had as she threw her other arm around the girl's waist, nearly jumping onto Ylva as she pressed her lips to the cracked ones.

A yelp and squeak of surprise were muffled against Elsa's lips, but she didn't pull away. Elsa could feel the girl's other hand move about, going from lightly resting against her hip to cupping her neck before finally just getting a loose grip on the arm encircling her.

Sparks flew behind her eyelids, and her whole body felt inexplicably warm all of the sudden at the knowledge that _she wasn't shoving her away with disgust_...

Neither pulled away. And maybe she was mistaken (though she hoped she wasn't) but neither _wanted_ to pull away, yet Ylva needed air. Still, she didn't pull completely away, just tilted her head back slightly, with enough space between their lips so that she could suck in a breath. In the end it was Elsa that pulled away, before the other could move any which way, face flaming as she studied the equally red girl.

In reality, it had only been a couple of seconds, but to her, it felt like near a lifetime. It wasn't an intense or passionate kiss, more of a mere brush of lips against lips, and tentative it was - but it was enough.

Ylva stared as a grin curved at her lips, corners of her eyes crinkling as she exhaled heavily. "That was... that was..." She struggled to find a word to properly explain it, finally settling on, "That was new, that was different... _Definitely not a bad different_. But different." Her eyes flicked up before going back to her blues. "Your thing-y is melting, by the way. Is that bad...?"

"No," She breathed, smile curving at her lips. "It's not bad at all. I suppose it's about time to take it down, anyhow..."

And so, she got to her feet, quickly followed by Ylva, and raised her hands with a deep breath. The knowledge that she was doing this in front of her thief made her insides churn, having gotten used to always doing everything she could to keep it hidden so that it became instinctive...

But still, she pushed past the swirling unease and insecurity, because if Ylva could do it with her curse, _so could she_. The ice started to melt into itself, dispelling into the air, appearing to be jagged fingers that retreated back into the earth. There were jerks in the speeds it would melt, pausing when her hands trembled and jerked with nerves.

Despite that, it didn't take long to melt; not even a minute for her prison to go back to the dirt. And when she was done, she glanced back nervously at her thief.

Ylva stared, jaw having dropped and eyes wide. Elsa blushed and fidgeted under her gaze. "What...?"

"_You just made that melt_. Like, just now. It was there, and then, '_poof!'_" She threw an arm in the air to accentuate her words. "Gone. That's amazing. _That's awesome!_ You have wings, too, don't you?!"

She gave a one-sided smile of feeble amusement and relief. "I might be able to make some, if I tried and concentrated hard enough..."

"_I knew it!_" The girl snorted, tugging her hood back on to fight the chilling wind with a quirk of her lips. "You _are_ a god! Err," She quickly corrected, "_Goddess_." Her breath suddenly hitched as her eyes went wide, all but jumping on the blonde in her realization. "Is that what they meant when they said you smelled of the ancient's blood?! You have ancient's blood, and maybe that means you really _are_ a god! Or a descendent of one, but _still!_"

Elsa's smile grew to be in her eyes as well as she her friend a look. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, now..."

The shorter breathed a laugh and nuzzled the taller's arm. The action had started playful, but ended up just being full of affection as she regarded the blonde with awe in her gaze. She seemed to struggle with her words for minute, starting to say something but then changing her mind halfway through before finally asking meekly. "So... no more hiding, right...?"

A fond smile crossed her face as she hooked an arm loosely over her shoulders in a small hug. "Right."

* * *

As the two trudged through the snow, away from the cliff and to more stable, solid ground, they were covered in an air of relief and naive giddiness despite the swirling snow storm that was out of Elsa's control.

But still, the clouds weren't quite so black, and the wind and snow didn't cut like it had.

Both held an arm over the other's shoulders as they trodded through the snow in a companionable silence, content to just be within contact of the other and not needing words; neither were sure of what to do with the recent occurrences, but still they were plenty happy to have the other alive and well...

_Until Ylva decided to come up with more puns about Elsa's ice powers._

Ylva grinned, having to nearly shout to be heard but giving the extra effort anyways. "You should have brought another coat, because even if you are the Snow Queen, it's cold as _hail_."

Playfully glaring, Elsa heaved a sigh. "That's terrible."

"Hey!" She laughed, raising her other arm in defense. "Don't give me the _cold shoulder_."

"You already used that one earlier." Elsa rolled her eyes, letting a smile tug at her lips despite the fact that she knew it would only egg her thief on.

The hooded girl harrumphed and pouted. "Give me a break, would you...?_"_ Her eyes lit up as a grin grew back onto her face. "Or _Elsa_ I'll cry."

"_Ylva_," She groaned, laughter lacing her voice. "_Stop_."

Said girl hummed thoughtfully. "Awfully c_old_ crowd, tonight..." Elsa shot her a look, and Ylva finally chuckled and bowed her head in defeat. "_Okay_, okay, I'm done..."

They stopped near a large boulder that raised above their heads, getting out of the wind to stop and look around for Ingvar and the other horse.

Neither noticed the unnaturally large wolf crouched on top of the boulder, dark gray and white splotched fur camouflaging it into the rock's shape. The wind carried away it's low growls as it eyed the hooded girl with spite and hatred in its eyes, licking it's maw with eagerness.

A snarl filled the air as it leapt onto the shorter girl, sinking its teeth into her arm and quickly dragging her away despite the girl's vigorous protests and fighting, a jagged and sloppy path of red following her as she was dragged through the snow.

"Shit, _Elsa!_" The cursed girl crowed, thrashing and jerking, slamming her fist into the wolf's face only to cry out as the beast bit down tighter in response, sending blood gushing.

_She saw red_.

Elsa gave a snarl as her veins filled with ice and yet her limbs burned with adrenaline as fury reared up like a tidal wave. She sprinted after the wolf dragging her thief, easily hopping over the snow and forming an icy spear in her hands.

She pulled her arm back to beam it into the wolf's side, only to yelp as several heavy weights slammed into her middle and sent her to the ground; knocking her out cold as the side of her head slammed against a rock that had laid hidden in the powdery snow. In her last moments of consciousness, she saw furred paws and a black nose in her face, white teeth glinting as they were bared to her.

Her eyes drooped despite her struggles to remain conscious so she could save her thief, and a thought drifted through her mind as her body betrayed her and shut down.

This wasn't normal... even if the alpha wolf really did have a mental capacity high enough to want revenge against her killed mate, this wasn't something that just _happened_. There was a supernatural aspect at work, here...

And as pain blossomed in her skull, red hot tendrils flashing like a lightning bolt that branched from her head and down, down into the rest of her body, lingering as she left the world for oblivion, she found herself wondering... _Why couldn't she just lead a normal life, without wolf armies and ice powers...?_

* * *

**Author's note~**

**HA. HAHA. Did you think that I was done making myself cry? Nooo, we're not done with the emotions, nooot yet.._._  
**

**But hey, we had a little itty bitty kiss! Seriously, be happy with that, because that was a last minute thing I threw in on impulse, cuz I've been mean af to Elsa and Ylva and everyone, pretty much - you guys included. There was originally gonna be no kiss, so the next one would be all WHAM, but I just... I dunno. I'm stupid. But I don't care because IMMA REBEL.**

**Hope this one was okay. You know how bad I am at writing kisses... Also, PUNS. I love me some good ol' fashioned puns, yo. Bear with me, guys! ************************ʕ´ᴥ`ʔ**  


**************************Now, I'm gonna go work on that Modern!AU oneshot thingy that is becoming _way_ too smutty for someone who feels so awkward while writing said smut. They were both drunk and IT'S PRACTICE for writing sexexex. That's my story and I'm stickin' with it |:I _oh sweet naked baby jesus i may chicken out and end up scrapping the whole oneshot thing fuck there's so much frick frack it's not even funny  
_**

**************************, _Blue_**


	22. Chapter 22

A quiet groan left Elsa as her head lolled to the side. Her head screamed and throbbed in time with her pulse, and she peeked an eye open, only to have her breath jump from her throat.

More eyes than she could count met hers, glowing gold as they stared back at her. A scream built in her throat as a cold, wet nose pressed flush against her neck, a growl rumbling so close that she could feel it in the air. A cry left her as her fingers went numb, and moved to freeze the threats, only to jerk as she realized that she couldn't move her hands.

She tugged and pulled and _pulled_ at them, until her face went red from the strain and her breath started to shorten, before she gave up and tried something else.

Elsa tried to freeze her bonds, but her stomach quickly dropped as she realized with a jerk that it _wasn't working_. There was no ice building in her veins, or chill in her breath.

"No," She breathed, panic building as she focused on her hands, trying and failing to make ice and growing more frustrated and scared with every try. "No, no, no, _what's going on?!_"

Head jerking up, she frantically looked about her. She was in a cave carved from ice, burrowed in at an angle before opening up into a fairly decent sized space. The light was gloomy and dark, with a blue sort of tint to it from the ice. She heard snarls from outside of the cave, and some yelps from wolves before a cry that sounded like _Ylva_.

"No!" She cried out, voice breaking as a short scream of pain drifted into the cavern. "Ylva!" She struggled more furiously with her bindings, briefly wondering how she had even _gotten_ tied up when her only company was wolves before trying again to freeze them.

But there was no ice that formed on her fingers. No familiar ice branching up her bones as she tried and tried to no avail.

Tears began welling in her eyes before she shook her head vigorously and gave a snarl that would have made her thief proud. Rolling onto her side and drawing her legs up so she could slide her arms under them and to her front so she could inspect her binds, she briefly noted that all the wolves were watching her, but made no move to stop her.

She sat up, nearly crying with frustration and fury when she realized what was holding her. "What in the world?" She hissed under her breath. A ribbon, a mere _silk ribbon_, barely as wide as her thumb nail, was what contained the might of the Snow Queen...?

Moving to stand up, she quite literally growled when one of the wolves calmly knocked her back on her rear. As she began to chew him out, she noticed a dark form stumble down into the ice cave, crawling more than walking, slumped and bloodied but recognized in half a second.

"_Ylva!_"

Hooded face lifting, the girl's weak, somewhat pained smile immediately fell as she faltered her step. Horror masked her face as she near-sprinted the rest of the way to the queen, concern flooding her voice. "Elsa, gods, what happened to you?!"

Before the blonde could ask what she meant by that, the cursed girl was on her with something that resembled panic in her eyes as she cupped the fair queen's face with gentleness. Her fingers trembled as they ran down one side of her face, and Elsa could see the worry thicken in her mismatched eyes as she flinched from the sharp pain that came from the light touch.

And as she pulled her fingers away, _she could suddenly see why_. The reality of it nearly punched her in the gut as she stared at the blood staining her fingers, browning but still fresh enough to lazily fall down her fingers.

Whimpering, Ylva hurriedly wiped the blood off on her pants, never taking her eyes off of the queen and cupping her face once more when she was done, pain in her expression as she studied her.

Elsa took the chance to study her as well, breath catching in her throat.

Ylva's left sleeve was only hanging on by tattered threads, soaked in blood that was starting to dry. Her left arm was limp against her side, and Elsa quickly found why... A bite that nearly went all the way around her arm showed layers of skin, torn muscles and sinew on the inside, uneven and raw. The blood stained her whole arm, having ran down and soaked into her bracer before stopping. Another jagged rip soaked in blood showed on her thigh, and her bare fingers either had been holding her wounds shut, or had been scraped raw. A purple, near black bruise with scrapes in the middle of it stood proudly on the side of her neck.

Despite it, as Elsa unconsciously reached up to lightly brush her fingers over the marring on her neck, she didn't seem bothered by it. Or maybe she was just solely focused on the blonde.

"I'm so sorry, Elsa," Ylva choked, head dropping and hood lowering as her voice suddenly went shaky before she cleared her throat, dropping her hands to inspect her binds, only to curse and yelp as she jerked away like she had been burned.

"What is it?" The fair queen asked, concern for the other prominent in her voice as she quickly leaned closer to try and inspect the damage.

"You gotta be kidding me." A strangled word came from the hooded girl, and at first Elsa thought she had choked on her own spit. "Gleipnir."

"_What?_"

"Gleipnir, made by the dwarves in the legend of Fenrir from the root of a mountain, the breath of a fish, and other impossible things. The father of all wolves, son of Loki, eater of gods-flesh, and also destined to consume Odin, depending on who you ask... If you ask a wolf, they'll probably tell you that he was unjustly punished for something he had no control over and was betrayed by the gods; that the glow of the moon is actually his eye and that he watches over his pups with Hati..." She waved her fingers in the air, cursing again. "I thought it was just that: _a legend_." She deflated even more than she already was. "But it wasn't, apparently... _Shit_."

She gave a bewildered look, flinching in tandem with her thief as a snarl from near the mouth of the cave echoed on the ice. "What on earth...?"

Ylva made a face, lifting her other injured arm with a pained grimace before stretching out her fingers, telling the fair queen with a hurried yet gentle shortness. "Not a lot of time; long story short, it's magic string made to hold by any means. Mutes any magic, unbreakable, burns those that are friend to those which it holds." Another growl from outside, louder, made her flinch again. "The pain is supposed to be near unbearable, drawing the strongest of men to their knees within moments of bodily contact." A desperate look filled her eyes as she looked meaningfully to the taller.

Her stomach dropped. "Ylva... Ylva, _no_."

"I don't know what they're planning to do with you when they're done doing whatever it is they plan on for me. I'm down for the count either way," She reasoned feebly, "The pain is said to be almost unbearable. The key word is '_almost_.' I'll get you out, and the wolves in here agreed to lead you out while the wolves were all preoccupied with me..." She flashed a weak smile. "They know, about having a person and such. Wolves... wolves don't get them anymore, a person, but they _used_ to. And they know me, although not terribly well."

And she grabbed the ribbon, and her eyes went wide and immediately streamed tears as her breath went ragged. But still, she didn't pull her hands from the cause of the pain that came off of her in waves. Choked whimpers that made the blonde's stomach twist and her heart ache left the cursed girl.

Elsa could smell something acidic and burning flesh, and all but headbutted her stupid thief, jerking her hands away as she cried, "_Stop!_" _It wasn't worth it_, not if Ylva was going to do that, even for a second.

"Why did you do that, I was almost-I almost had you..." Her voice was a mere squeak, a choked whimper as a shuddery breath left her, "I gotta-gotta..." Her hands trembled as she raised them, glancing down. Another pained noise escaped her, and the determination to untie the magic ribbon audibly left her. "I'm... gods, _I'm sorry_...

Following her eyes, the blonde nearly retched. The pads of her fingers, mainly her thumb, pointer and middle fingers, had been burned away. A thin, dark trail of smoke left them. There was not a lot blood, luckily her hands had been calloused, but the skin was red and the very centers of her pointer fingers had bleeding pits in them.

"Stupid," The words left her before she could stop them, curling as close as she could get and burying her face in the crook of her neck, hiding her face in the fur of her cloak. "_Stupid!_ Why would you - why didn't you pull away sooner?!"

Elsa could feel her shudder as she leaned against her, not hugging her but still getting as close as she could. "Had to... had to try before..." She shook her head, a rasped sob leaving her before she cleared her throat and straightened up, gently pushing the queen back to look her in the eyes. "Go... go to the trolls. They should be able to get the Gleipnir off. I... I have to go back."

"Ylva, _no_-"

"No, really, I _have_ to go back." Her brows curved up. "The wolves, there's something _wrong_ with them."

"They're trying to _kill you_," She hissed in reply, frustration growing. "Of course there's something wrong with them! Hundreds of wolves all aimed on one single person; _I_ could have told you that!"

"You don't get it, Elsa, _please_," Ylva implored desperately, standing up shakily and running her fingers up the porcelain cheek with the action. "These are my brothers and sisters, and the alpha is _doing_ something to them! I need to fix it. I need to make it better, because it's _my fault_, and I'm the only one who can!"

Her voice raised, using the tone she used when finalizing a decision as queen; with firmness, no room for argument and silent threats for if there _were_ any arguments. "You're not going."

"Actually," The shorter girl sighed, wearily on her feet, "I am..." She turned to one of the wolves, a low whine leaving her before she jerked her head to Elsa. A low noise, like a grunt but more breathy left her, and the wolf gave the smallest nod.

The wolf stood to his feet, and Elsa froze up as he walked to Ylva's side. "What are you doing?"

"I'm so sorry, Elsa," She tried to smile, but it came out as a grimace as she inched back, lingering despite the certainty filling her voice. "I'll try to make it back to you with _everything I have_, but..."

Panic came back with a vengeance. "Ylva, _don't say things like that_."

"You really are amazing."

"No, stop."

"And smart and kind, and _so_ beautiful."

"_No_."

"I really am the luckiest hound-err, luckiest _person_ in the world to have someone like you." This time, her easy smile wasn't forced or strained as she wiped the remnants of her tears from her cheeks. "And I'm sorry I wasn't the houn- the person, _sorry_, that you deserve."

"Don't you _dare_ go back out there..." Her voice choked a bit. "Please..."

"I think..." She faltered, smile dropping a bit, but still there and very much genuine. "I think I love you... Or I'm closer to it than I've ever been with anyone." Making a face, she added in a mumble, "Sorry, I'm probably not making this any easier for either of us, am I?"

Before Elsa could say anything, however, a snarl echoed right into the ice cave, and every wolf and person tensed up.

Ylva pulled her sword out and whirled around, snarling right back. "I wasn't hiding, you tailless little cat! You wanna go? _Come on, then!_" She lowered her hood, throwing one last look at Elsa before sprinting back up to the mouth of the cave. Two snarls, both as bestial as could be, echoed through the cave once more before drifting away.

She stared after her, a typhoon of emotions beginning to swirl inside of her.

Despair and fury were the most prominent. She had finally gotten Ylva back, and things had been going so good; _why did those damn wolves have to attack?!_ And now, now that stupid girl was trying to be the hero again, all too ready to throw her life away... Sure, she had said she would try to come back and that was actually a _huge_ improvement, but what on earth could drive such a person to so little self-preservation?

No, a better question was: _why did she care so much about the beasts out there?!_ She seemed to think that she was a dog first and a person second, and it just wasn't fair to _anyone!_

The wolves around her, all eight of them, suddenly began whining anxiously as the temperature dropped even lower than it already was. The smallest of them began to back away.

As snow began to fall from the ceiling, as her powers suddenly washed over her, making her feel like a dog struggling against a leash, she dragged herself up to her feet and glared down at the offending binds.

Of course, by now, Elsa knew why Ylva does what she does. She grew up in the woods by herself. When a problem arose, she and she alone had to fix it or be faced with dire consequences. She took care of stray wolf pups like Bjorn had been, and raised them and taught them and took care of them, and it was never the other way around. Doing things by herself and just herself, outright refusing help - it was first nature for her...

_Well_... she supposed that Ylva would just have to get used to having her by her side when she went to the front line because _damn it_, Elsa had nothing to hide, now. _She was going to help_... and then freeze her rear to the floor until she felt like giving mercy because if things continued at this rate, she was going to tear all her hair out by New Year's and something really had to be done about these unnecessary heroics...

The ice in her veins still avoided her arms like the plague, but it slowly, surely grew confidence and inched closer, having started out in the very edges of her toes and crawling up to the rest of her body.

Power flared in her stomach, and her back straightened as she breathed in slow, deep through her nose. A blast of wind blew into the cavern, and for the first time, Elsa listened for the voices her thief claimed were in drafts.

Maybe it was because she was driven half-mad from the stress she had been torn through for the past few days, but she swore she heard a whisper...

_Let it go, Elsa_.

* * *

The storm was worsening again, and visibility steadily lowered as the dark sky began to rumble once more over the mountain. The wolves had dragged them higher up to the mountain, to a brief plateau of sorts. Ylva swung her sheathed sword, slamming it against the wolf's side and silently pleading for it to stay down before turning to face her next attacker, wishing she had made her sword longer.

_She should have made a spear, instead_. Why didn't she get a spear? Spears were better than swords. If she had gotten a spear, she wouldn't have had to be so on guard because the wolves would be farther back...

A groan left her as she leapt back to avoid one of the wolves, swinging her sword and sending it with a _crack!_ against the wolf's back.

Her left arm was killing her (or it felt like it was, anyhow); the pain lanced down into the rest of her arm and throbbed in time with her racing pulse. If she wasn't careful, if she took too big of a step, a gasp for breath became something close to a sob.

She found herself thanking the gods that it was so cold, that she had gone numb long ago and thus couldn't feel the pain in it's full intensity, but also thanked them for making wounds _burn_, because she feared she might freeze to the very ground she danced on, otherwise...

A yelp left her as jaws closed around her left bracer and jerked her to a stop, making her cry out as red-hot, _too_-hot, searing pain screamed from the jagged chunk of flesh missing from her arm, and she tried to remember to _breathe_ as she turned and slammed the covered blade into the wolf's front leg and then it's side without a second's thought.

Her eyes watered as a freezing breeze blew ice into her face, and she whirled around in a full circle to check her surroundings, only to deflate as she realized that more were coming to replace the ones that listened to her silent pleas and stayed on the ground.

"More wolves," She breathed glumly, rolling her right shoulder as she said to herself dryly, "_Great_..."

Ylva wanted to drop to the ground and give her weary limbs the rest they screamed out for. Wanted to curl up into a little ball in a nest of blankets and sleep for a week, or maybe snuggle up to some (probably Elsa) and just revel in the warmth of another person. There were so many things she wanted to do, and _this_ was not even close to being one of them.

Did she want to be out here, with fingers that smelled a bit like burnt meat and an all but useless left arm? _Hell_ no. Sparring was all good and fun, but really, Ylva didn't care for fighting unless it involved fighting a bear. And having to hurt these people, with families and mates to take care of and songs they had yet to sing; _who could enjoy that?_

If she was completely honest, this whole thing scared the ever-living shit out of her...

She had noticed almost right away that the wolves were merely toying with her - wearing her out... And between that, and the empty, dull look in the wolves eyes despite their glares, and just _all_ of this, she found herself wondering why it had to be _her_ to do this.

Not that she regretted it, trying to help the ones that have helped her on occasion, but why couldn't it have been someone better...? Or maybe just a better _her?_

As she kicked a wolf back and whacked it right in the chest, ignoring the yelp that followed, she found herself wondering... Why did she always have to come back to Arendelle?

She's met a hundred people and shook a thousand hands. She had been offered homes a couple of times in her life during her travels - _real_ homes, not a place carved out of an ancient tree, with real beds and company, and though they hadn't always been the most pleasant-looking or acting people, Ylva had always liked the people enough that she certainly _could_ have.

Why did she have to return to the place where all her worst memories were...? The place where Mawwi died, where _she_ nearly died (and several times at that), where she had been cursed...

But, she figured, it was also home to her-_the_ person. If for some reason she hadn't kept coming back, she would never have met Elsa...

Just the thought of it made her lips curl up and warmth blossom in her chest, and a small boost of energy made her swings hurt a little less. Flashes of hair so light that it almost glowed white, and eyes like ice that were somehow still so _warm_ flashed through her head.

Shaking her head to herself, she stopped and watched her breath dissipate into the cold air for a moment. She was pretty sure she was far enough away, now...

And she _had to be_, or else it wouldn't work. Because Elsa was control, and humanity, and affection, and all the other things that kept Ylva... _well_, it kept her herself. Elsa was what reminded her that she was one of the tailless and not just a wolf that dwelled on things that she usually couldn't afford to think on. Elsa was the one, sure-fire thing that chased away the voice that had only grown louder since her lapse of violence at the ball. And while she reveled in her humanity, she also realized that that was what had always been holding her back. That was always what held her back, what kept her from truly being in a pack and being what she knew she had to be when living out in the wilds.

The beast in her howled with delight as a numbness filled the pit of her stomach, steadily growing. Her breath grew ragged as the voice laughed. "_I knew you would let me out eventually..._"

"I can't do this alone," She tried to excuse herself feebly, as red began to filter her vision. "I need help. You're my only option."

The voice didn't reply, only gave that raspy laugh of his once more as the filter of red completely covered her vision, and she blacked out for a moment.

When she opened her eyes again, everything was numb. The voice spoke as it moved her like a puppet, pulling her sword from her sheath. "_Time to kill_."

Her whimper didn't get to leave her lips; _he wouldn't let it_, and she made herself watch as he tore through the wolves, because _damn it_, if she had to such lengths, then she deserved the pain that came with it. Cries and yelps pierced the chilled air, and blood (though she wasn't sure if it was hers or some nameless hound's) began to coat her hands and stain her gloves crimson.

While he made her move like she was uninjured, _she still felt the pain_. A two handed cut down a furry side, a thrust down into a spine, sent pain through her arm and then to the rest of her like a lightning strike. If he would let her scream, _she would have_.

She wasn't sure how long she cut through the wolves, searching for the alpha, but she had gotten another curved cut on her jaw from a claw that caught her and a bruised torso from being slammed into from behind by one of the larger wolves and _gods_, did it fucking hurt, even with the numbness that came with letting him taking the reins...

Ylva faltered. _She_ faltered - as in, the voice wasn't the one making her do that, as hot, scorching pain suddenly wracked her body. She tried to find his presence but found nothing, and she found herself getting a little pissed off as a wave of tremors ran through her and the pain intensified.

She'd been running on empty for far too long, running herself ragged. When was the last time she had fallen asleep or eaten anything...?

God, she couldn't even remember.

It was too much. _It was too much_, and she couldn't take it anymore! He wasn't there to numb the pain, and even with the cold helping, all the fight in her was gone, and self-doubt and pain began filling her. _She couldn't do this_. She couldn't save these people! She was just one person-one person that wasn't even that strong, _not without him_ and he just left her without a word! What was she...?

A freak. She wasn't a wolf. She wasn't a person. Just something hopelessly in between, trying to find its way, to just _survive_. What happened when she didn't want to anymore...? What happened if she _didn't_ want to anymore?

Her eyes went wide as something akin to pain spiked in her stomach, but she knew it was fear... Fear, because that had all she had ever strived for, all she had ever done with herself, and now she was questioning even that. To survive, to _keep living_... later, out of curiosity and restlessness, she had wandered where ever she had pleased, but that one thing had always been there, a base objective that was always present, always first nature. _Stay alive_.

"What-what am I gonna do...?" She choked, tears burning her cut. "What am I even..."

Ylva hadn't yet realized that no more wolves attacked her. She didn't hear the crackling of ice in the air, or feel the sharp drop in temperature because she had already grown as numb as she could get.

Then, she felt something in her. A stirring, an emotion that wasn't hers, but also not _his_. It was a mix of a great many things; protectiveness and love and anger...? And when she blinked, she saw a flash of platinum blonde behind her closed lids, and she jolted upright.

_There was something that was more important than living_. There was something more important than herself, something-some_one_ she had willingly thrown her life away for; more than once, at that.

By the gods, how could she have forgotten...?

Her body screamed with protest, but she forced herself to turn, and choked on the breath she had drawn in.

Elsa stood there, looking absolutely livid. Power came off of her in nearly visible waves, namely at her feet, where icy stalagmites crawled up from where she stood. Her eyes glowed a vivid blue through the swirling snow, and her hair blew with the harsh winds. A few words drifted through Ylva's mind as she stared, gobsmacked.

_Beautiful._

_Powerful._

_Dangerous._

At the last word, she shook herself. _No_, not dangerous... never. Because thinking she was dangerous would be thinking that Elsa was something to be fearful of, and she _wasn't_. "Elsa..." Her mismatched eyes grew confused as she said slowly, voice rough and raw. "You... you're here...?"

Her hands were still bound, but she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them, the glow of her eyes had lessened, but was still there in the iris of her eyes.

A thought struck her, and panic swelled in her. "You shouldn't be here... Elsa, it's not safe!"

Another sharp breath through her nose. Her hands tightened into fists and her shoulders squared before icy spikes shot from the ground with an ear-splitting _crack!_ They all stabbed at the Gleipnir, only to shatter as they slammed into it.

"Elsa, _stop!_" The cursed girl rasped. "It's not going to work! Just - _get out of here!_ I can't... _can't_, not with you right h-" She choked on her words, quickly switching direction, taking a single step and nearly dropping to her knees at the small action as pain flooded. "Go to the trolls, somewhere safe where I don't have to panic on whether you're safe or not!

Meant to try and placate the queen, that only made her brows draw together in a blazing determination. This time, swirls of snow and ice flew up from her feet, curving in air before dive-bombing to her hands, a steady flow of ice and magic to the binds.

The Gleipnir began to shine bright, green light, blinding Ylva and suddenly a sharp piercing screech came from - _was that coming from the ribbon?_ Ylva didn't know, but it made her ears ring from the piercing noise.

And then it just... stopped. All of that was going on, and then it wasn't.

Ylva stared, pretty sure her ears were bleeding but not really caring. Elsa smirked at the hooded girl.

The blonde kicked snow over the Gleipnir, torn in two on the icy ground. She raised her now-free arms, and a huge wave of snow reared from behind her, crashing over her like a wave of water, oddly fluid and a source of its own light. When Elsa emerged from it, icy armor coated her like a second skin.

She walked over, all confidence and grace, self-made armor glittering even in the barely-there light. She stopped in front of Ylva, pride and strength and power in her voice as she gently cupped her bloodied cheek, voice sending tingles down the cursed girl's spine and filling her with warmth despite the unspoken threats in her small sentence. "_Let me take care of you_."

Her mouth went dry, and she could do nothing but nod dumbly. She wanted to hug Elsa, but she knew that trying to do so would end up with her crumpled on the ground because _fuck_ if that one step didn't nearly have her screaming.

Elsa gave that little half-smile of hers, the one that made Ylva's stomach do flops.

She tried to remind herself that Elsa was, well... _Elsa_. She had _powers_ for gods' sake! She didn't need to be coddled, but hell if she still didn't feel the urge to protect her with every last breath...

Well... she may or may not have been nearing her last breath (she wasn't entirely sure, to be frank) so, she figured she didn't have a whole lot of choice in this decision.

It was funny, really. Right as she (albeit, a bit reluctantly) confirmed the thought in her head, she noticed the form slinking up behind Elsa. Everything stopped working. Partly from panic, partly from shock, because _by the gods_ that was either a really big wolf or one that desperately needed a trim.

Then, it's lips curled up into a snarl.

And Ylva was all but _throwing_ Elsa to the side with her good, dominant right arm as she saw the muscles in it's legs tense up, and suddenly it was like time was slowing down as the massive wolf leapt for her and she threw her wounded arm up to try and fend it off, and agony ran through her arms in waves as she did so but there was no time to correct her error.

The wolf's slim jaws closed around her leather bracer and bit down, and a scream ripped from her throat as her arm jerked with the sudden weight hanging off of it and bone threatened to crack if she didn't make the pressure lighten up _right then and there_. She used her sword to sloppily cut off the laces, accidentally cutting into her hand in the process.

She jerked back as the wolf jumped back on her, faster than anything she had ever seen, clawing at her now bare forearm and ripping her sleeve right off before snarling and jumping again.

This had to be it. This _had_ to be the alpha. There was no other way; Ylva had suspected magic being the cause of all this, and there was merely no way for this massive beast to _not_ be magical in any way.

Teeth closed around her throat at the same time she had raised her Ulfberht to meet it. She heard a garbled scream, but didn't even realize it was hers.

* * *

**Author's note-y note~**

**OHMYGLOB YOU GUYS I GOT A FLIPPIN' BETA I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO DO ANYMORE WHATISAIR?! I'm not gonna throw names out and about in case they're shy, but they're awesome and helped a shit load. I'm probably freaking her out by being kinda super talkative and fangirl-y, so I'm not gonna keep going, but I'm just gonna give them a big-ass THANK YOU.**

**So yeah'p, I haven't given a serious thank you to you all in a while, so: I love all of you crazy-ass peeps for putting with me, at my best and my worst. I didn't really expect a whole lot with this one, firstly because OC stories in the Frozen fandom usually aren't taken well, and well, that first chapter wasn't really my most graceful beginning (do I EVER have graceful beginnings with any of my stories? _No, not really_.) and this whole thing just blew the fuck up and idefk why, but I sure as hell appreciate it, and I'm glad that you guys like this goofy story as much as I like writing it up.**

**Please bear with me, guys ****************************ʕ´ᴥ`ʔ**  


**Bless ALL of the faces. Peace off.  
**

**, _Blue_.**


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